A Break With Reality
by Daciavu73
Summary: Max wakes up in hospital and is told that the past ten years of her life were all just a figment of her twisted imagination. Can compare to that episode of Buffy where she's in an asylum.  Same principle.
1. Chapter 1

_This is a plot bunny that came from TheWickedQuill (aka Shay). It is posted on the Engineered to Raise Hell forum under "Plot Bunnies". This one intrigued me, so I thought I'd give it a shot._

_"Details: The challenge - Max wakes up in hospital and is told that the past ten years of her life were all just a figment of her twisted imagination. Will she learn to cope or will the pressure and uncertainty of what is real and what is not be too much for her fragile mind to handle and end up shattering her completely?"_

_I haven't fully decided if there is going to be an actual pairing or ship. However, I am certain there will be at least one rape scene between White and Max (later in the story). Only because it's part of the story. I'm not terribly fond of writing scenes of that nature, but once in a while, an author must stretch beyond their comfort zone._

_Anyway, thank you Shay for the idea and encouragement. And thank you Max333 for reviewing and commenting this story before-hand. If there are any errors, it's all my fault._

* * *

><p>She knew she was in the fight for her very life.<p>

Bleeding and bruised in different areas of her body, her left eye swollen shut, her determination to live was faltering as she and White circled each other warily. The only reason she stayed upright to continue fighting White was because the words "give up" were not in her vocabulary. Manticore did at least one thing right. Never give up, never surrender. Fight to the death.

She was taught from an early age to withstand all kinds of punishment and torture. But they didn't factor in fighting a Familiar that felt no pain and was admittedly, stronger than she herself was.

White didn't even look winded, something Max hated with a passion. And frankly, she found it childishly unfair! Deck would have had a field day with this back at Manticore! She would have been sentenced to more exercise and training for several hours as punishment, or possibly placed in isolation without food or water for however long Deck deemed necessary.

White circled her and tossed his switchblade back and forth between his hands, taunting her.

"Give it up 452. You can't win."

"Bite me!" Max spat, as she watched her nemesis warily for an opening to attack.

Where the hell was Alec with the back-up?

A radio on White's belt crackled as a male voice barked, "Omega to Alpha, Omega to Alpha, come in Alpha."

White still had an earpiece in his ear, even after all the fighting they had done up to this point, he never dislodged the damn earpiece. White simply pressed a button on the earpiece, keeping a watchful eye on Max as he answered, "Alpha here, go ahead Omega team, what's your status?"

"We've captured 494, sir. We have him sedated. There were five other freaks with him. We killed them on sight as ordered and left 494 alive. Amongst the dead are a lizard man and a dog man, sir. Pretty freaky shit."

Max could hear Renfro in her mind, _"You're poison to everything you touch 452."_

Hearing that her back-up team was all dead, including Mole and Joshua... and Alec was captured, all because of her. The guilt nearly overwhelmed her. This was a set up and now she was thoroughly kicking herself. It was her fault. She led her people into this. They were dead or captured, and that left her to deal with White alone.

Smiling, White answered back through his earpiece, "Good work Omega. Take 494 back to base and keep him sedated." White grinned evilly at Max as he replied to his teammate ominously, "I have plans for him."

"Any sign of 452, sir?"

White chuckled and then answered, "Yeah... She's dead. Or at least, close enough!"

"Roger. Omega out"

"Alpha, over and out."

White continued circling Max during the whole radio conversation before he turned the radio off.

"I'm not dead yet, you snake worshipping psychopath!" Max hissed as she continued keeping her guard up, waiting for her moment.

White shook his head in a condescending manner, sarcasm dripping from his voice, "Where is that genius intellect I hear so much about regarding you animals? We don't worship snakes, you idiot. We worship a goddess that made us better than you. Now..." White tossed the blade back and forth between his hands again, "Enough talking. I intend to have your head in my trophy case. Right beside 494's."

He lunged and she dodged to the side, grabbing the arm with the knife. Max elbowed White right between the eyes, and the Familiar didn't even flinch. He simply grinned down at her and head-butted her, hard, knocking her into complete and utter blackness.

* * *

><p>"She's coming around."<p>

Max heard the voice as if from far away. A familiar voice she knew very well… and the strong smell of ammonia under her nose making her want to sneeze.

"Logan?" Max groaned, forcing herself to open heavy-lidded eyes and peer at the first man she ever fell in love with. Logan put aside the smelling salts as Max became instantly alert. She darted her eyes around the room, sitting up quickly. "Where's White?" she hissed, not seeing him anywhere. She struggled against her bindings, not understanding yet why she couldn't move her arms, she yelled, "Let me at him! I'm going to kick his ass!"

Logan's gaze was sympathetic as he kept his voice calm and soothing. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder in reassurance.

"Max, Ames White is not here. You're safe. He'll never hurt you again."

Max squeaked and crawled away from Logan as quickly as possible, eyes wide in fear and horror.

"Logan! Go wash your hands in bleach! Right now! The virus!"

"Max..." Logan tried to remain calm, and knowing his touch would just upset her, he raised his palms in surrender. Crooning softly, he replied, "Max... I'm cured, remember?"

Max looked around the room she was in for the first time, just now taking a really good look. Padded walls and floor, her arms were bound in a strait-jacket, and Logan was in a white lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck. The identification badge on his coat read "Logan Cale, PhD, Harbor Lights Hospital".

"You're cured?" Max asked, confused about what Logan informed her, and completely disoriented by unfamiliar surroundings,. "But how can that be?"

* * *

><p><em>(Earlier that morning)<em>

"Thank you for coming in to see me Deck."

Dr. Donald Lydecker shook Dr. Cale's hand as he got right to the point, "You said you took over the care of one of my patients...?"

"Have a seat." Logan gestured to one of the visitor's chairs as he seated himself behind his desk. He tapped a few keys on his laptop and then turned the screen to where Lydecker could view it.

A picture of Max dominated the screen as Logan began, "This patient... A Maxine Sandeman-White. Do you remember her?"

"Absolutely. I could never forget her. Severely abused by her foster father and foster brother, she developed a multiple personality disorder coupled with paranoid delusions. If memory serves me correctly, she was nineteen when I first met her."

"Some new developments have come up since you last saw her doctor. I need your expertise, especially due to your history with this patient."

"I'll be happy to help in any way I can, son."

Logan nodded. Deck was an old friend of his father's, and actually helped him get the job at this hospital. With Deck's recommendation, he effectively took Deck's place when Deck was promoted to Chief of Staff of the Harbor Lights Psychiatric ward. If anyone knew how to help, his old family friend would. Logan tapped a few more keys on the laptop, bringing up Max's psychological profile.

"When I took over her case two years ago, Maxine seemed to be completely living her paranoid delusions. She believed herself to be a genetically engineered super-soldier made in a lab."

Deck gave a slight nod as he sat back more comfortably in his chair, "Well, that's easily explained. She was traumatized and victimized repeatedly in her formative years. 'Max Guavera' is her alter-ego that protects herself against harm."

Logan nodded sympathetically, already knowing this, "And her foster father, Rudolf Sandeman, is in the federal penitentiary for the severe abuse of Maxine and his son Charles James, also known as CJ, correct?"

"That's right, and her other foster brother, Ames White, is still at large. He performed the most heinous acts of physical and sexual abuse of the patient, as a directive from his father. At least, in the beginning."

Deck seemed to review the psychological profile that one couldn't find in a computer or file cabinet anywhere. It was the one locked tight inside Deck's memory. Logan waited patiently for Deck to elaborate. When he spoke, his voice was gruffer than normal. "Sometimes, Maxine also refers to herself as a number, '452'. Ames White called her that, possibly to dehumanize her, like she was no longer a person and she belonged to their family, like a possession would belong to them. They even branded her with what looks like a barcode on the back of her neck." Deck's eyes flashed, causing Logan to realize the older man cared more for his former patient than he let on. Then Deck firmed his jaw and simply replied in a manner like he was trying to keep his temper in check, "She is amongst the top ten of the worst child abuse cases in recent history. And it's going to take a lot of work to deprogram her mind-set. To convince her that she is a person worthy of respect and love, a young woman with a full life ahead of her and numerous possibilities to choose from regarding what to do with her life."

"Well, I have some good news on that front. These past two years, she has shown the capability of making friends amongst a few of the patients and staff here. Joshua, one of our orderlies, is especially close to her. Nothing sexual that I can tell, but there is a definite bond there between the two of them. However, there is another patient of ours that sticks by her like glue. We keep him in room 494; his name is Alec McDowell, a manic depressive individual that spiraled into a deep, dark depression when his high school sweetheart, Rachel Berrisford, died in a car crash." Logan looked up at Lydecker as he added, "It was prom night. Mr. McDowell was driving the car, and his alcohol level was off the charts, which caused the accident that killed Miss Berrisford. Anyway, he and Ms. White have struck up a pretty tight friendship, of which I encourage up to a point. This has brought McDowell out of his depression and he's relating to another individual, in this case, Ms. White. You rarely see one without the other. And then we had another problem."

"What was that?"

"Maxine claims to have 'heat cycles'."

"Right... manifested from years of sexual abuse by her foster father and foster brother. My theory was that they would purposely manipulate her body into arousal, have sexual intercourse with her, then hold it over her later, like she wanted the experience. At times, they even used drugs to keep her compliant." Deck shook his head sadly, "The 'heat cycle' she referred to was her way of explaining everything away, that she was only aroused by the experience because she was part feline and in heat. Then she would experience intense guilt afterward for having enjoyed it, to some extent. Still rape though. That's what I've been trying to get her to see for years. She seems to only see herself as a sexual vessel for men."

Logan nodded in agreement, "And now she's experiencing attraction to other men and coming on to them pretty strongly. One is me, which is why I am bringing you in for assistance, because I don't want anyone suspecting anything other than a doctor/patient relationship between us. And the other is Mr. McDowell. And just yesterday, the two of them were making out pretty heavily in one of our storage closets. Luckily we got to them before coitus and separated them."

Lydecker leaned forward toward the laptop and scrolled down the screen, reading, and remarked, "It says here that she believes she is carrying a genetically targeted retrovirus that can kill you?" Deck raised a questioning brow at Logan. "That's new."

Logan sighed, "Yes, that's my fault actually. She was having this inappropriate attraction to me and I just felt, in order to continue treating her..."

Deck's eyes narrowed at the younger man, "That you can just make up another delusion for her to live? That's not very orthodox, son."

Logan leaned forward in earnest, "C'mon Deck. I honestly thought I had a breakthrough with her a few months back. And then she... kissed me." Logan blushed as Deck's gaze became more of a reproof now. Logan's eyes widened, seeing the unspoken implication in Deck's eyes. Fearing for his job, he raised his hands in surrender, speaking quickly, "I swear Deck, I didn't lead her on in _any _way... We're not like that. But now, in order to keep her calm, sometimes I..."

"Have to go along with her delusions." Deck nodded, "Any psychologist would do the same thing, if her mind is too fractured to handle the truth." Deck leaned forward and pointed a finger at Logan warningly, "But we do _not _add to her delusions by making up another story." Deck shook his head and sighed tiredly as he leaned back into his chair again, "That's neither here nor there, Cale. Get back to the point. In your email, you said Maxine had a mental breakdown a couple of days ago? What triggered it?"

Logan reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a thick Bible and opened the flap where there was a picture of a handsome, dark-haired man in his early thirties.

"Do you recognize this man Deck?

"I do." Deck steepled his fingers in front of him as he confirmed Logan's suspicions, "Ames White, Maxine's rapist foster brother, later turned husband."

"Alleged rapist, remember Deck? Innocent until proven guilty? He hasn't even been brought up on charges yet."

"Screw that Cale. I have no doubts that this son-of-a-bitch did it. Let me guess. This picture caused Maxine's psychotic break?"

Logan nodded in answer, and then explained. "It was sent to us by secure priority mail. One of my nurses signed for it, opened it, saw it was a Bible with a well-dressed man's picture inside, no weapons or anything. She gave it to Maxine instead of going through the proper channels... The nurse's first day on the job, she didn't know. Frankly I wish I would have seen it first..."

Deck stood and propped both hands on Logan's desk, eyes narrowed he ordered, "Get that to the police, Cale. We have a restraining order against White. He is not allowed to communicate with Maxine in any way. We can now issue a warrant for his arrest."

"Sounds good in theory Deck, but I've tried that already. We have no proof that it actually came from White himself."

"What, do they need an engraved invitation or something? His picture in a Bible! C'mon! They used Old Testament scriptures on her to convince her God allowed them concubines of their choice. And that they could treat her however they wanted to and God blessed them for it."

"Deck…. I've never seen you so passionate about a patient before. Is there something more that I'm not aware of?"

Deck knew Logan was right, but it didn't make it any easier to deal with. Instead of answering the question posed to him, Deck's fist hit Logan's desk in fury, causing the cup filled with pencils to fall over and scatter the pencils and pens all over the desk, "Whoever said that a picture is worth a thousand words didn't know bupkus!"

Logan remarked drily while tidying up the roaming pencils and putting them back in the cup, "They obviously never worked here, that's for sure."

Deck huffed out a breath, calming himself down as he gave Logan a small nod, then pointed at him, "Call me immediately if you get anything else for Maxine. And I'll send you my file on Maxine as soon as I get back to my desk. Be sure to check your email."

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><p><em>OK peeps! Kindly review, even if you don't review kindly. :)<em>


	2. Chapter 2

Max sat huddled in the corner of her padded cell, still in her strait-jacket, as she tried to figure out what was going on around her.

_This is a dream_, Max told herself over and over like a mantra, as she tried to fight down the panic of finding herself in a strange place. _This is a crazy whack dream I can't wake up from. This isn't happening! It's not real!_

The last thing she remembered was White knocking her out with a head-butt.

_I'm simply out cold and I'm dreaming. That's it! That's the most logical explanation. I wouldn't even put it past White to drug me too. He drugged Alec, why not me?_

The door to her cell opened at that moment, breaking Max's train of thought and going into immediate "fight or flight" mode. Logan strode in with his clipboard, flanked by two very tall orderlies. Max relaxed marginally, seeing it was only Logan. However, for some reason, Max had a feeling she should know these guys that were with him. Something about them was recognizable on some level.

"Release her, but stay nearby," Logan told the orderlies.

Max's eyes were wide as the two men approached her, but one of them spoke to her in a friendly, amiable voice that she recognized on some deep level within her psyche.

"It's okay, Little Fella. Joshua will get you out. You'll feel much better when you're out of that jacket, but promise you'll stay calm, okay?"

Max peered at the man curiously. He had to be at least six foot, five inches and about two hundred, fifty pounds. He looked vaguely familiar to her.

"Joshua?" Max croaked out of a dry throat.

The big guy nodded, pleased that she recognized him. He bestowed her a shy smile. "That's right. Now let me get you out of that jacket okay? You trust me, don't you? You know I won't hurt you."

Max nodded mutely, but she continued to study him… Gone was the dog face, and in its place was a man with long reddish-brown hair that he had tied in a ponytail behind his neck and a comforting, soothing presence that always seemed a part of him. And his English was so much better than the Joshua she knew, although with a slight accent. New York maybe? She couldn't place it, but it sounded northeastern US.

Before she had time to really think it over, a second man reached behind her as well to help. She jumped a little and glared at him for daring to touch her. Joshua noticed this as he loosened her bindings and tried his best to calm her fears.

"You remember Mole don't you, Max?" Joshua asked, trying to jog her memory.

"Hey Max. It's good to see ya with the land of the living again." Mole grinned down at her with straight white teeth, helping Joshua pull the strait-jacket off Max's arms as gently as he could, making sure to not get her hair caught in the velcro. "Looks like you've had your beauty sleep and you're ready to take on the world, huh?"

The voice sounded like Mole, and he smelled of tobacco just like the Mole she knew, which made her wonder for just a second how his teeth could be so white. But again, gone were the lizard scales that she associated with him. He was as tall as Joshua and slightly broader in the shoulders, but he looked to be of Arabic descent. A full head of dark hair and green eyes that made him a handsome specimen of male, if you liked the tall, dark, and handsome type.

Mole looked Max over in concern, but kept the friendly face as much as possible. "Max? You remember ol' Mole, don't ya? Tae Kwon Do lessons? The army stories about my time in the Persian Gulf in undercover ops? You used to really love those stories."

When Max was finally freed, Logan had the guys step aside as he squatted in front of Max so he could examine her. Logan pulled out a penlight from his lab coat and clicked it on. One hand reached out to touch Max's face and she automatically flinched away from him in fear.

Logan raised his hand up in surrender, "No virus anymore Max… I swear, I'm not going to die. However, I need to check you over. When you passed out, you hit your head on one of our coffee tables in the lounge and I just want to make sure there's no concussion. Will you let me examine you?"

Max still didn't understand any of this, but she nodded anyway. Something within Max still trusted this man with her life, but her Manticore training just wouldn't leave her alone. She watched cautiously as Logan began his exam of her in a quick, efficient manner. He checked Max's pupils with the penlight, then shut it off with a click and held it up in front of her.

"Okay Max, I need you to follow this pen with your eyes only, okay? Don't turn your head. Just follow the pen wherever it goes with your eyes."

Max did as she was told, only because she felt like she had no other choice at the moment. Compliance seemed to be the better option for right now. However, the words "eyes only" made her take notice for a moment. She was in a strange world that was foreign to her and trying her best to make sense of it all. She felt a little like Alice after she walked through the looking glass.

She followed the pen with her eyes as instructed. She followed it left, then right, then up, then down until Logan was satisfied. He clipped the penlight back in his lab coat chest pocket, took the stethoscope from around his neck and hooked it in his ears. He warmed the other end with his hand first, then placed the metal disc just under her pajama shirt, his eyes on his watch, counting out her heartbeat.

Removing the stethoscope from his ears, he stood up, made a note in his chart as he calmly told her, "Your heart rate is a little fast Max, but I'm attributing that to stress. I'm going to have someone bring you a mild tranquilizer with your lunch, the lowest dosage I can. Your pupils are fine, no sign of a concussion. And I'll get you back to your old room within the hour in time for our next session."

"Oh, my heart rate is a little fast huh?" Max snarked angrily, as she stood up to face off with Logan. She poked him in the shoulder, feeling hysteria choking her. "You try waking up in an unknown world and see how you deal! This has got to be a dream!" Arms akimbo, she began pacing in earnest in the little cell while her audience stood captivated, "Ames White knocked me out, and now he's got me drugged! That has to be it! There is no other explanation for this…farce I'm forced to live with! This. Is. Not. Real!"

"Max," Logan's hands were up in supplication, "You need to calm down, okay? Whatever has you worked up, we'll talk about it. But for now, I need you to take a deep breath."

Max scoffed and rolled her eyes, practically whining, "How the hell is that going to help me, Logan? You're not even the Logan I know! The Logan I know keeps his head buried behind a computer, trying to fight corruption in a corrupt world. He's not a doctor! And you two!" She pointed at Joshua and Mole, "How did you get human all the sudden, huh?" She pointed to each man in turn, "You are a dog, and you are a lizard. But now you stand in front of me, completely human! It's not making sense! This is so completely whack it's not even funny!"

The three men flashed each other looks of concern, but Logan took charge, "Tell you what, Max? We'll sit down and discuss this and make sense of it very soon. But until then, please, settle down. I would hate to have to give you a shot. Remember the breathing exercises I taught you?"

"No! I don't remember a damn thing about any breathing exercises! Not from this topsy-turvy world! I don't belong here Logan! Why won't you listen to me? Why don't you believe me?"

"I do, Max. I believe you." Logan was now saying anything he could to calm his patient down, going along with her psychosis for the time being. Those words seemed to have the effect he hoped for as Max began to slow down her pacing and her breathing. Logan breathed an inward sigh of relief. "Okay, we're going to have a talk, Max. But I would really like for you to eat something. You haven't eaten in twenty-four hours. Once that is done, we'll have a long heart to heart. All right?"

"I'm not hungry." Max pouted petulantly, but Logan wouldn't be swayed. He just gave her that look she knew so well, that one where his cause became hers and she bent to his will every time.

"For me, Max? Please?" Logan cajoled. He stepped a little closer to her and made eye contact, but didn't reach out to touch her, still keeping a respectable distance.

"Fine! Where's the chow?" Max sighed.

Logan turned to Joshua and placed his hand on the big guy's shoulder and spoke quietly, "She seems to like you best, Joshua. Could you take Max to her room please?" Joshua nodded, and Logan turned to the other male in the room, "And Mole? Have the kitchen send her some soup and sandwiches, and get this…" Logan passed a piece of paper to Mole, "from the pharmacy." Logan turned back to Max. "I'll see you again in about an hour for that heart to heart."

* * *

><p>Joshua and Max were walking along the corridor together. The doors of the rooms holding other patients were locked tight, but there were a few of those patients that kept their faces glued to the little window in the door, watching Joshua and Max's progress. It felt eerily to Max like the day she and Joshua walked through the basement of Manticore when they first met, and the nomalies were yelling and screeching through the doors. Some of the male patients made a few cat calls, raising the hair on the back of Max's neck in apprehension.<p>

"Hey Maxie baby! You get another heat cycle, you just come find me. I'll make sure you're taken care of!" The guy made kissing sounds through the door, making Max want to vomit in revulsion.

Joshua pounded a fist on the door the voice was coming from, causing Max to jump involuntarily at the sound. "Hey! Michaels! Keep it in your pants! No one wants to see that! And if you hadn't noticed man, she ain't interested!"

"Yeah, she would do much better with me, Michaels." Another male voice called out to her left. She could see another blubbery looking guy in the window and he winked at her, licking his thick lips. "You bring that sweet ass over my way baby. Any time, day or night."

"Frankie, you settle down, too." Joshua pounded on his door as well, placing his face right in the window for Frankie to see that he was serious. "Or you won't come out of that room except for meals. Got that?"

Max knew in her heart that she could handle herself with any of these guys. If they dared to come near her, she'd make sure they'd regret it in one-point-three seconds flat.

Joshua swiped his key card to open the door, and stepped aside to allow Max entrance.


	3. Chapter 3

Logan reviewed the file Deck sent him over the email, causing a few more puzzle pieces to fall into place regarding the mystery of Maxine Sandeman-White. The atrocities the poor girl suffered at the hands of her foster family would be enough to curl anyone's hair. This was the worst case of child abuse that Logan had ever personally dealt with. And it would be a challenge to help Maxine overcome her past and start a new future.

Grimly, Logan marched through the corridors heading to Maxine's room. He purposely continued to call her "Max" because that was what she was most comfortable with. Logan wasn't picky about little details like that. If it made his patients happy and more talkative, and then later more trusting, he did whatever he felt necessary to precipitate that trust.

He looked through the little window into Max's room and found her looking through pictures, sitting with her back against the headboard of her cot. That might be a good sign. Maybe the pictures will help her memory processes.

One could always hope!

Logan knocked a couple of times first and let her see him through the window. Then he used his key card to open the door. He always tried to respect his patients' privacy, and Maxine was no exception.

"Hey you." Logan smiled at her as he walked in, closing the door behind him for privacy.

Max just glanced at him sullenly, then went back to flipping through her pictures. Logan pulled out a chair and straddled it backwards, resting his arms on the back. He knew she couldn't ignore him forever, and he cleared his schedule for the next couple of hours. So he had plenty of time to wait.

When Max realized he wasn't going away, she sighed and peered at him peevishly, "Didn't you say something about a heart-to-heart? Although I don't know what good it will do."

He gestured to the pictures in her lap. "I recognize those from your wall." He indicated the corkboard by her bed on the wall. "Do you mind if I see them for a moment?" he asked as he held out his hand for them.

She shrugged and passed them to him, remembering that she no longer has to make sure they don't accidentally touch. Apparently it doesn't matter anymore. He's touched her several times and nothing has happened.

Logan looked through the pictures as Max inquired, "So what's the dealio with the virus? How did you get all cured up all of a sudden?"

Logan glanced up at her and murmured, "Modern technology is a wonderful thing, Max." Then he found the picture he was looking for and ignored Max's questioning look, as he tried to steer her away from that topic of conversation. He hated lying, and the virus thing was no exception.

He held up a picture and asked, "Do you recognize these people?"

She shrugged. "It's me and Alec."

He nodded approvingly. "That's right. Do you remember when this was taken?"

Max drew a blank. The picture was of Alec and Max in party hats. She was sitting in his lap with an arm around his neck and he had his arm around her waist. They were both grinning at the camera and flipping off the cameraman with their free hands.

"No." Max answered quietly, eyes wide and haunted.

"It's all right, Max. You don't have to remember everything all at once." He waved the picture lightly and pointed to it. "This was taken on New Year's Eve last year. The staff was snowed in, and you threw together an impromptu party that night. You even had me to get the cafeteria staff to bake a cake. We had the patients making party hats to wear using construction paper, tape, and rubber bands. And this was the night that Alec smiled for the first time in months. And all because of your antics, Max. You were so excited about that breakthrough that you talked my ear off about it the next day during our therapy session."

Tears began to well in Max's eyes as she shook her head, frustrated that none of this was making sense. "This is not my life, Logan. You're making this up! I can't believe you'd do that to me. I'm not crazy!"

Logan continued as kindly as possible, his eyes begging her to believe him. "Max…I promise I am not making anything up. You need to know the truth. Just a few days ago you had completely accepted your reality and now you're relapsing."

"Shut up! I don't want to hear this!"

"Max, listen to me. This _is _your life, but with the right treatment, it doesn't have to be. You can change your life however you want to better your future."

"Logan, why does everyone think I'm crazy? Why am I in some looney bin?"

Logan paused for a moment, as he tried to formulate the right words, "You are diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. It's with the use of medication and therapy that we have helped you to be lucid and coherent. My staff and I care a lot about you. We know you can rise above this and, in your own words, beat this bitch."

Now he had to discuss what he came here to talk about in the first place, "However, I know you and Alec believe you have feelings for each other. To be frank, both of you are too fragile. We are having to keep you separated, or at least have supervision when you are around each other."

Max sneered, "Me and Alec? There's nothing going on with me and Alec! Just the thought of that makes me feel cheap! The guy has so many notches on his bedpost, I'm surprised there's wood left!"

"Actually, that's not true, Max. You're the first female Alec has had any interest in since he came here three years ago. And regardless of your protestations, the fact of the matter is, you and he were caught in a storage closet almost completely naked by the time Joshua and Mole separated you." Max's eyes widened at this news as Logan shrugged and continued on, "Maybe it's just chemistry, maybe it's just lust, but bottom line is, you're both too vulnerable to deal with any kind of physical or emotional relationship right now and I would highly advise the two of you to… be careful, okay?" Logan beseeched her further, "You are a product of repeated rape, he accidentally killed his girlfriend in a drunk driving accident. The two of you have found common ground and common friendship due to sharing immense emotional pain. That part is great because everyone needs a friend that understands. But I have to be the bad guy here and insist on no hanky-panky. I can't allow it."

"Hanky-panky? Who the hell talks like that?" Max jumped up from her cot, feeling restless and began pacing again. "You don't have to worry about any 'hanky-panky' going on with me and Alec, of all people. That part's easy. Anything else you wanna tell me?"

"Yes, Max. I want you to get better, which means a lot of hard work ahead of us to regain the ground we've lost. You must adhere to a regimen of group and individual therapy and taking your meds on time, every day. And I need you to trust me. Ames White will never hurt you in here. I will do everything in my power to make sure that bastard never lays a finger on you again."

Max pffted, waving her hand dismissively, "I can take care of White. He may not feel physical pain, but the psychological and emotional?" Max twirled a finger by her temple. "Oh, he feels that all right. Of course, you should know, you helped me hide his son, and you have seen how he's reacted since!"

Logan knew this was not the best time to bring up that Maxine was suspected in the murder of their son. Hers and Ames White's. She claimed she hid him, but the child's body was found buried in the back yard of the White residence. That was the day Ames White disappeared off the face of the earth, and Maxine took the fall. She wound up here when the court system found her not guilty by reason of insanity. She still wasn't facing the death of her son, and now was not the time to bring it up. Later, Logan promised himself, he'll have to reveal those details. Right now, they had to get Maxine back to where she was psychologically before the mental breakdown.

Logan stood and walked over to his patient, placing a hand on her shoulder gently, "Max…you have to stop building Ames White up like that. He's a normal human being, flesh and bone, just like you and me. He feels pain just like any other human being." Seeing he got Max's attention, judging by the eye contact she was giving him, he explained, "This kind of thinking often happens. Where the captive tends to think the captor is larger than life because he has such power and control over her. Repeated rape, torture, abuse… It's a horrible thing to endure, Max. And you were making the best progress until a few days ago. We can do it again but it's going to take a lot of work."

Max cocked her hip and crossed her arms over her chest, her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Rape? _Me?_ Ha! That's a laugh! He wouldn't contaminate himself with an animal like me. I think your mind is just in the gutter, Logan."

"Max, stop that," Logan exclaimed sternly, causing Max to raise an eyebrow at his tone. "Don't ever think of yourself as an animal. You are a woman, a beautiful, vibrant, intelligent woman. You are _not_ an animal."

Rubbing it in on purpose, Max continued, "Sure, I know that, and you know that. I mean, c'mon! X5s are made to be pretty! And because he's such a bigoted psychopath, White refuses to call me by name and refers to me as 'filthy' or 'animal' or else he'll put them together and I'm a 'filthy animal'! The man doesn't seem to know many more words in the English language!"

"He was wrong, Max. You are not a filthy animal. What Ames White did to you was not your fault. You were simply trying to survive."

"Wait, wait, wait." Max raised a hand this time, finally really catching what Logan was saying. "Let me get this straight. You really think that Ames White and I…did it? Bumped uglies? Had sex? Eww! Gross! So not happening! No way in hell!"

Logan finally shrugged. He was not going to get it through to her today and it might be best to let it go. His main goal of informing her about the rules regarding her relationship with Alec McDowell was conveyed. He'll deal with her denial issues another day. "Fine, have it your way. When you're ready to really talk about it, I'm always here." Logan checked his watch, a nice Rolex that she could easily fence for a grand, and he replied, "Go ahead and rest up. Group therapy is in two hours. Everyone is required to attend and that includes you, too." Logan met her eyes and smiled at her, taking the bite out of his words, "But you're not really required to say anything unless you just want to. I'll just let this all sink in, and we'll talk again tomorrow, same time, same place."

* * *

><p><em>Group therapy. Why the hell do I need group therapy?<em>

Max was grouchy. No doubt about it. She didn't know any of the patients that sat in a semi-circle, all wearing scrubs as pajamas like she was wearing, and house shoes. Besides Logan there were five men and three women, including herself. And an empty chair.

The answer to the question of "Who sits in the empty chair?" came strolling in for the group therapy. It was Alec, but he looked different from her memories. His face had a slight bit of scruff along his jaw and he had rings under his eyes. He slumped into his seat across from Max like he'd rather be anywhere but here. She stared at him wide-eyed, thankful beyond measure that she saw a familiar face. He caught her staring at him and smirked in his usual, characteristic way. "Take a picture, Maxie. It'll last longer."

Without thinking, she stood up to rush over to him, grabbing him in a hug that nearly knocked him out of his chair. "Alec! Thank God you're alive! I'm so glad you're here!"

Joshua and Mole came rushing over just as Logan noticed what was going on. He raised a hand up to stop the orderlies from separating Max and Alec…for now. Logan watched carefully to see what would happen next as he noticed Alec's surprise at the sudden hug and Max's joy.

He patted her back awkwardly. "Easy there, Maxie…can't breathe!" Alec coughed as Max relaxed her hold on him and rose up. The tears in her eyes caused a lump in Alec's throat as he swiped a tear away with his thumb. "Hey, it's all good, Max. You're old buddy Alec is here."

"I was so worried about you, Alec."

Alec's visage was confused to say the least. "Worried about me? Hell! You were the one in la-la land after taking a spill a few days back. I am the last person you should be worrying about, Maxie. But…glad I was missed," he murmured with a cheeky grin and a twinkle in his eye.

"Okay you two…" Logan came around and gently backed Max away from Alec with a hand on each shoulder, "let's get the therapy session started. Max? You need to take your seat."

"Yeah, seriously!" said a guy next to Alec. "All that mushy lovey-dovey crap gets sickening."

"Shut the fuck up, Jones," Alec snapped. "You just can't stand it that Max likes me better than you."

"Now why would I want some chick that thinks she's some supercharged freak of the future?"

"Future?" Max asked, confused, as she sat in her seat and looked at the guy. Jones, was it? "I don't live in the future. It's 2021."

The whole room began to snicker, except for Alec and Logan. Logan raised a hand and declared, "All right everybody, settle down. Leave Max alone. She's been through a tough week."

"Damn it, stop trying to protect me, Logan. I want to know! This **is** 2021 right?" When no one answered right away, Max insisted, stomping her foot, "_Right_?"

Logan was the one who answered, but as gently as possible, "I'm afraid not, Max…it's 2011."

She shook her head vehemently. This was getting too ridiculous! "There's no freakin' way!" She stood quickly, knocking her chair over. "That can't be right!" Then she turned pleading eyes to Alec, needing an ally. "Alec? Help me out here! You know it, too. It's 2021!"

Alec took the initiative and stood up to go to Max. "Maxie…sweetheart, it's okay, if you say it's 2021, then it is."

Max punched him in the shoulder, causing him to grab his shoulder and mouth, "Ow!" before she cried out, "Don't condescend me, you dick! Everyone around me is trying to convince me I'm crazy! I'm _not _crazy, damn it!"

Logan walked purposefully through the semi-circle of patients over to Max. This time, he motioned Joshua to follow him. Logan gestured to Alec's seat and ordered, "Take a seat, Alec, I got it from here."

Alec wrapped his arms around Max, using his body to shield and protect her while he glared at the doctor. "No! No, damn it! She doesn't need you! Stay away from her!"

"Mole?" Logan called out to the other male. "A little help here please?"

Too late, Max noticed Logan had a needle with a syringe. He pushed the plunger and fluid leaked out, making sure there were no air bubbles. Mole and Joshua had to pry Max and Alec apart, with Mole restraining Alec and Joshua restraining Max.

Max's eyes were wide in panic as she tried to fight Joshua, but it was no use. He was much stronger than her and his arms were locked around her. She saw the syringe and shook her head. "No way, Logan. Please don't drug me!" She looked up at Joshua and pleaded, "Joshua, please help me! Please?"

Logan's eyes were apologetic, but he said, "I'm sorry, Max, but this is for your own good."

He gave her the shot in her arm and within moments, her legs gave out underneath her and her eyes closed. Joshua simply picked her up like Rhett Butler did to Scarlett and began walking her through the circle and toward the corridors that led back to her room.

Logan was preparing another syringe because Alec was struggling with all he had against Mole.

"Easy, Princess, we're not the enemies here," Mole told him, trying to keep him restrained until Logan got to them.

"You fucking son of a bitch, she just needed a little reassurance, not more dreamland!" Struggling hard against Mole, Alec hissed, "She's been drugged enough in her life! You're doing the same damn thing White did to her! Don't you see?" Logan began to advance on Alec, and Mole had a hard time keeping Alec still. Alec tried to kick out at Logan, but Logan stayed out of the way of Alec's legs and feet as he squatted by Alec's head. Seeing defeat, Alec practically spat at Logan. "That's how you solve all your problems, isn't it, Dr. Cale? If they don't go along with your 'everything is rosy' parade, you stick 'em with a needle! Fuck you, Cale!"

Logan's eyes were compassionate, but with Alec's fury, he didn't have the staff to deal with it today. Mole and Joshua were their biggest orderlies, and Alec had a black belt in karate, which made handling him more complicated at times. Mole was the best one to subdue him because he also knew many martial arts holds.

Logan quickly stuck the needle in Alec's arm as he continued cursing Logan until he was out cold as well.

Then Mole carried him back to his quarters.

Logan couldn't help but to feel a slight bit defeated regarding both of his patients. But it happened like this sometimes. Two steps forward, three steps back. Then eventually it will get better with two steps forward and one step back. It was never easy for him. He stood up and turned back to the rest of the group who were whispering amongst each other.

"All right everyone, show's over. Who wants to tell me what they learned since the last group session? Anything you want to share?"


	4. Chapter 4

_Warning – rape scene. If bothered by scenes of this nature, you might want to skip down to where it states that it's two weeks after group therapy_…_maybe I should say it's sort of a rape scene. It came out a tad more sensual than I intended. Could make the White/Max shippers happy! I'm beginning to wonder if I should dabble a little in each ship? Alec/Max, Logan/Max, and White/Max. Let me know your thoughts!_

_And a note – the whole psychological crap is pretty much made up. I write what would sound like common sense to me on some of it, the rest is completely fake. I don't have any kind of medical degree and I don't pretend to. _

* * *

><p>Max closed the door of the bathroom as quickly as she could and turned the lock on the doorknob to lock herself inside.<p>

She felt a need to be clean. The shower would help with the outward clean, which would have to be enough for now. What she wouldn't give to just be able to relax in a nice long, hot bubble bath. But she knew that wouldn't be feasible, not in this house. It was a house for men, for the most part. No bubble bath, no feminine scented anything because Papa Sandeman was allergic to fragrances of any kind.

Making sure the door was secured, she stripped out of her clothes quickly, not bothering to fold them and turned on the shower. While the water warmed up, she set aside towels and grabbed a washcloth from the linen closet in the bathroom, then stepped inside the shower, closing the curtain.

She stood in that spot for the longest time. She didn't know for how long. Could have been minutes, could have been hours, with the hot water flowing down her body, washing away the filth and cleansing her…mind, body and soul. She washed her hair first, then while rinsing, she grabbed a bar of unscented soap, working it into a lather in her washcloth, and then began scrubbing herself…hard.

She heard a click, which made her stop what she was doing and go into high alert. She poked her head out of the shower curtain and didn't see anything but the steam billowing in the bathroom. Convincing herself she was imagining things, she went back to her ablutions.

The things she was required to do in this house just to keep a roof over her head made her sick. And for just a few minutes, she wanted to know what it felt like to be clean, to be rid of this sick, disgusted and guilty feeling she carried with her every waking moment of her day. Even sleep was beyond her. She never knew when Papa or Ames would come into her room and demand her attention. The only times she slept was when they were both asleep at the same time.

Eyes closed, she let the water run over her from head to toe, enjoying the warmth, imagining all the filth being washed away and flowing down the drain.

Apparently, her lack of concentration on her surroundings was her downfall. A hand clapped over her mouth and a male naked form was behind her. Then his voice in her ear made her tremble in fear...as if the fact that he was back there didn't make her tremble enough.

"Locking the door? Don't you know I have a key to every room in this house 452?"

_Ames! Oh God, no! No, no, no! I just wanted a few minutes alone! Just a few minutes! Why is that so much to ask in this house?_

The right to privacy meant nothing to this family. Especially regarding her!

"Maybe that's what you wanted huh?" White kept a firm grip over her mouth with one hand, his other hand was flat against her belly and pulling her firmly back to him where she could feel his erection against the cleft of her ass.

She made a sound against his hand, trying to talk as White bit her earlobe, then whispered into her ear, "I'll remove my hand for now 452 and allow you to have your say. But be warned…if I don't like what I hear, there will be consequences, understood?"

She nodded and White loosened his grip on her mouth. She blinked the water from her eyes and turned her head to look up at him over her shoulder. She knew what she had to do. Agree with him quickly. If she ever disagreed with him, there was hell to pay. Swallowing nervously, she said, "You're right Ames... this was a set-up."

He grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head back, making her wince, "Never, EVER call me by name you piece of filth! I'm your superior. You're nothing more than an 'it', do you understand me? What do you call me?"

Whimpering due to the pain in her scalp, she answered, "I'm sorry... master." The need to sneer the word was great, but the need to avoid angering him any further was even greater.

"And never forget that!"

He released her hair, then turned her to face him. His eyes indicated the washcloth and soap.

"Wash me." he ordered.

Lathering up the washcloth again, she started with his neck first, working her way down his shoulders and arms, then back up to his armpits, then his chest. To her utter consternation, her hands were shaking, causing Ames White to enjoy this even more.

This particular man was the most dangerous in this family. Papa (the name she was forced to call Rudolph Sandeman) was getting old, and he was more verbally abusive than physically. Something she was grateful for in some ways. But Ames was young, virile, very strong, and took great pleasure in dominating her, interspersing pain and pleasure whenever he saw fit. She never knew which it was going to be from one moment to the next.

Right now, just his presence, the way he watched her every move, not completely trusting her and at times seemed to absolutely hate her... his domination of her made her tremble in trepidation. This man was ruthless with punishment when he had the whim to do so. He loved keeping her off-balance and that made it necessary to walk on eggshells around him.

She worked her way down his legs, squatting in front of him, which placed his cock directly in front of her, standing proud and very erect. She tried to ignore it until she absolutely had to touch it. If she didn't clean him there with the washcloth, Ames White would come up with other ways for her to do the job.

Smirking down at her submissive posture, he watched as she tentatively wrapped the soapy washcloth around his member and tried to be as quick as possible in washing his entire package. White chuckled, amused.

"Scared of it?"

She shot him a mutinous look, and then averted her eyes quickly to avoid him seeing it as she stood up. However she hadn't been quick enough. He saw that flash of annoyance and wouldn't let her by with it. Grabbing her chin hard, he forced her to make eye contact.

"I saw that look 452. I guess I'm going to have to fuck the rebellion right out of you again, aren't I?"

Tears began to pool in her eyes because his grip was causing bruises on her chin and jaw, but she refused to make a sound. Just that small bit of satisfaction that he couldn't make her cry out was enough for now.

He pushed her against the opposite shower wall and crowded her with his body. Grabbing the soapy washcloth from her hand, he put it on his own hand.

"I don't think you cleaned yourself thoroughly enough. And I don't want any kind of infections coming from you. So…this is all the foreplay you're gonna get!"

He wasn't gentle, which would be rare if he was. He scrubbed her breasts, particularly the nipples very hard, making her gasp and continued down her body until he had his hand between her legs. She instinctively closed them in fear.

"Open up, 452!" he demanded, not allowing room for any argument. "You know what I'm capable of, so it's better if you do this willingly."

She definitely learned from past experience what he does when he doesn't get his way. She still had healing scars on her body. She complied, opening her legs a little further and closing her eyes in shame, trying to blot out the feeling of the soapy cloth being rubbed a little too hard against her most sensitive area.

Luckily, it didn't take long. Either that or they'd been at this for so long she was able to mentally escape from the time duration. Once finished, he turned her around and pulled her back flush against his chest, allowing the water to wash away all the soap. Once done, he turned her to face him and placed pressure on her shoulders, making her kneel before him. Once again, his cock was directly in front of her face.

"You know what to do, you fucking whore. Don't you dare pretend to be innocent now."

He was right… This was something she had a lot of practice in by now_...thanks to him…_Taking the base of his cock into her fist, she opened her mouth and avoided eye contact. But Ames was a little too impatient. He grabbed her head and forced his dick into her mouth before she was ready, then he cursed loudly and withdrew, yanking her hair to pull her head back again. He bent over menacingly, practically spitting in her face.

"Use your teeth again, and I'll pull every last one of them from your head myself! Now, open your mouth and use your lips to cover your teeth bitch!"

She barely had time to comply before he stuffed himself fully in her mouth, using his hands on her scalp to set a furious pace, nearly gagging her in the process. It wasn't her fault that she had been unprepared; if anything it was his own fault her teeth scraped the sensitive head of his shaft.

Forcing herself to relax her mouth and throat, she was able to allow his cock to go completely into her mouth and throat, praying she wouldn't gag. Anything that caused White to stop what he wanted was just another mark against her that he punished her for. As long as he enjoyed the experience, then at least no punishment was meted out. Rarely was she rewarded with no more than a grunt and dismissal, but that was better than the belt or whip.

"There we go…" Ames grunted as he pistoned himself into her mouth in a furious pace, now able to get her to deep throat his entire length. The shower was at his back, the water turning cooler as they were about out of hot water. However for him, it provided a wonderful contrast between the cool water on his back and this slut's hot mouth on his dick.

Slowing down a bit, he shoved his whole length in, nearly coming on the spot as he watched her take it all in.

"Oh… Suck that cock. You like that don't you?" She made a muffled sound causing a vibration to go up his shaft and into his balls, causing more pleasure for him. He wanted to come deep in her throat, but within that tight pussy would be so much better.

He withdrew himself before reaching the point of no return. His hands still knotted in her scalp as he stood in front of her, his cock glistening with her saliva just a mere inch from her mouth.

"Lick it." He ordered breathlessly. "You know you want to… Do it!"

_As if…_she thought but complied. Her tongue came out and licked up his length. When she circled the head with the underside of her tongue, he groaned and bit his bottom lip.

That's it. He couldn't wait any longer. Lifting her back to her feet after disentangling his fingers from her scalp, he turned off the shower, then turned her to face the shower wall, pressing her forcibly from cheek to breasts against the cool tile. His body was hot in contrast behind her. He probed her center with his cock, finding her wet. He groaned into her ear.

"See there? You're such a freak aren't you? The worse you're treated, the better you like it."

She shook her head against the tile, "No, not true." She did not want it to be true.

"Bullshit." White muttered in amusement, "You're nothing more than a bitch in heat. You don't want to admit it, but it's true." He grabbed her hand, interlaced his fingers with hers and slid their joined hands down her body to feel herself between her legs.

"Tell me now that you don't enjoy it." White groaned into her ear, his cock rubbing the cleft of her ass as he forced her to feel the wetness between her legs that was unmistakably there.

"It's just the soap, it not completely rinsed off of me."

He used their joined fingers to rub the wetness all over her inner lips and walls as he chuckled, "You little liar. I'm gonna prove it to you. I'm going to fuck you so hard, your teeth will rattle."

At those words, more wetness spewed forth onto their fingers to Max's utter embarrassment.

"See?" White chuckled again in smug amusement. He brought their joined hands to her lips.

"Taste it…tell me again that it's just soap, when we both know it's not."

Embarrassment etched in her features as she sucked one of his fingers and one of hers into her mouth simultaneously.

"Damn! That's hot!" White muttered, his eyes flashed with lust, watching her suck on his digit as well as her own.

He released her hand and placed a different finger of his own into his mouth, tasting her juices himself as she watched in fascination.

"Mmm, doesn't taste a bit like soap to me." Her head lowered in shame.

When he finished the taste test, he crowded her with his body and used one hand to grab his cock and lower it toward his goal, sliding through her ass cheeks first. "You like it rough and you like it dirty don't you, 452?" He pulled her hips back, positioning himself at her entrance, his point made, smug in the knowledge that he was aware of her most shameful secret.

He placed one hand between her shoulder blades, keeping her immobile against the tile, and used the other hand to guide his cock into her. He shoved his hips hard, forcing his cock within her with one deep stroke. Since she was already wet, it made the joining easier. And as usual, her body welcomed the intrusion, even though she usually hated herself later for it.

Once inside, he began a brutally hard pace, putting his words to action and making her scream.

His mouth stayed next her ear as his breathing changed to panting.

"You must…have a little…animal in you 452…He thrust harder, nearly bringing her feet off the floor. His hands grasping her hips in a bruising grip were the only things that kept her upright.

"And it's mating season…bitch!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Two weeks after the group therapy fiasco<strong>_

"Max?" Logan kept his voice calm, which was imperative during a hypnosis session. Max was lying on his couch in his office while Logan was in a chair across from her.

Logan leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, knowing she could hear him and talking her through the hypnosis-induced flashback.

"God, leave me alone! I don't want this…STOP!" Max cried out, thrashing around on the couch.

"Okay, Max, Listen to me! Fight it! Fight HIM. You know how. Take control of this. It's just a dream."

Max began whimpering, "Please stop…Leave me alone! Please!"

"Stop begging, Max!" Logan told her sternly. "Fight him! It's the only way to take control back."

"Make him stop! Please? Oh God! No…I don't…I can't…

It was time to bring her out. Logan touched her on the shoulder, "Max? I'm bringing you out now. When I snap my fingers, you will wake up, but remember everything. Three…two…one."

Logan snapped his fingers next to Max's ear. She awoke suddenly, wide-eyed, raised up quickly and curled up in the corner of the couch, knees bent, arms hugging her knees as she rocked back and forth, like a wounded animal.

"Max? We went over this. In order for you to get past this fear, you have to face it. If you ever live outside these walls, you might run into White again. You have to know inside and out that you're strong enough to deal with him and to do whatever it takes to protect yourself."

"That's not the problem," Max muttered, still rocking as she faced Logan with wide-eyed terror.

"What do you mean, Max? What IS the problem?"

"I…I don't know how to say this."

"Believe me, Max, I'm not judging you at all. There's nothing you can say that will shock me."

"Oh yeah? How about…I liked it and didn't want to stop?"

Logan shook his head, "Max, you were just yelling out in your delirium for him to stop."

"No…I was yelling at YOU to stop."

"Run that by me again Max?" He looked at her, eyebrow arched in shock.

"I heard your voice, Logan, and I was actually begging White to tell you to stop…but he's…I felt degraded," she explained emphasizing the last part, "yet completely turned on! Like I was in heat! Why else would I enjoy that?"

Now that Logan understood where she was coming from, he explained, "It's nothing to be ashamed of Max. This is normal for any person that's been through a history of sexual abuse. You are conditioned to become aroused by dominating treatment."

"But we never…White and I have never done that before. Why would I become turned on by something so degrading?" She asked with disgust edging her voice.

"Max…hypnosis brings out what you have repressed in your subconscious. This actually did happen to you in the past."

"Oh, HELL no!" Max jumped up from her seat and began her usual pacing again. "White and I were never like that Logan. There is nothing sexual between me and him. Ever! We hate each other. I would never..." She shuddered and stopped her pacing.

"Max…I hate to break this to you, but you need to face the facts. You and Ames White had a sexual relationship, although not one of your choosing. From the time you reached puberty as a matter of fact. His father, Rudolph, was your first sexual experience. But after he was unable to have sex with you, due to age or whatever, he 'gave' you to Ames. A lot of your experiences was pretty much performing in front of Sandeman with White. That voyeuristic fetish is what Sandeman used to try and re-gain some form of sexual pleasure with you."

Max shook her head and narrowed her eyes, "You're a sick man, Logan Cale! You know that?"

Logan stood, gathered his file on Max and walked over to his filing cabinet, opening the top drawer and putting the file back in its place. He finally turned to meet her with a compassionate look.

"Max…once you accept your reality, you're going to feel like a bird out of a cage. I promise."

"Accept THIS reality?" Max pointed at the spot by her feet. "This reality SUCKS! I want my life back, Logan!"

"Right…let's see..." Logan pushed aside his lab coat and placed his hands in his pockets casually, "Your life…leader of a ragtag group of mutants that are wanted by the government and hated by the general populace? All made in labs? Part animal, part human, and oh yeah, will never be able to see a normal life? Hmmm! I can see how that would appeal!"

Max folded her arms and tapped her foot. "Sarcasm doesn't become you, Logan."

"Maybe I was trying to inject a bit of lightness into the situation, but the bottom line is, Max, it's not that great of a life. Why would you want to go back to a post-apocalyptic world where everyone hates you and yours for being different? Wouldn't it make more sense to accept this reality, Max? Here, you can be anything you want, do anything you want. Here, you can be normal, Max…don't you want to be normal?"

Her defiance slipped as she slumped her shoulders. Normalcy was what she wanted. It was what she always wanted.

Logan approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tell you what, Max? You've been through enough today. You can go back to your room, or to the rec area. No more therapy of any kind for the rest of the day. We'll talk again tomorrow."

After another reassuring squeeze to her shoulder, he walked toward the door.

"Logan?"

He turned back to her, hand on the doorknob and brow raised. "Yes, Max?"

"Could it be possible for hypnosis to just bring out some innermost fantasy that you kept buried?"

"Yes…" Logan answered, and then he sighed, "But unfortunately, for you, that was not the case, Max. Once you fully realize that and accept it, you can then move on. Until you do, you're at a stand-still." Then he opened the door and motioned Joshua inside, who had been standing nearby for Logan to request his assistance.

Logan met Max's eyes and said, "Think it over, Max. We'll talk again tomorrow."

Tomorrow_…always tomorrow…_she thought. Yes, she had thought White was decent looking the first time she met him, but once she found out what he really was, she only thought of him as a bigoted enemy. She never thought it would go beyond that_…apparently if I were in heat while fighting him, God only knows what would've happened! S_he walked out of Logan's office with Joshua escorting her again.

Tomorrow. Like Scarlett O'Hara, she'll think about it tomorrow. Because the epiphany that deep within she might be the slightest bit attracted to Ames White was not something she wanted to dwell on.


	5. Chapter 5

Max had a lot to think about on the short walk from Logan's office back to the rec area.

"You okay, Little Fella?" Joshua asked curiously as he walked companionably beside her. "You look like you woke up from a nightmare."

Max grunted in agreement as she shuddered in revulsion at the memory of White's hands on her, "You have NO idea, Big Fella."

At that moment, Joshua's pager beeped. He unclipped it from his belt and checked the number, stopping in mid-stride, confusion marring his features. Max had been in deep thought and she was a few steps ahead when she realized Joshua was no longer walking beside her. She stopped and turned back to Joshua, her brows raised in question.

"Max…I have to go check this out. Let's get you to the rec area first and…"

Now, Max smirked and rolled her eyes. "Joshua, I'm a big girl. I can find my way to the rec area by myself. What could possibly happen from here to there?"

Joshua looked torn, debating inwardly of the repercussions he could receive if he didn't do as Dr. Cale told him. "I promised Dr. Cale I'd…"

Max waved away his concern, "It's about another twenty feet, Joshua. It's okay. Although, I'm a little concerned about what's got you all bothered?"

Joshua gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "It might not be anything, but to make sure…"

Max waved him away. "Go then. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

Max sighed and closed her eyes as exasperation tinged her voice, "Why does everyone here think I'm some kind of china doll? I'll be fine, Joshua. Go!"

At the very top of the internal "Top Ten List of Things Max Hated" was being treated like she was going to break. She was a transgenic for cripe's sake! And that's exactly what she kept reminding herself in this freakish, nightmarish place.

Joshua clipped the pager back on his belt and then pointed a finger at her warningly, "You get into any trouble and it's on MY head. You know that right?"

"I know and I'll be good. I promise." She waved him off so he could leave.

After a parting smile of thanks, Joshua headed down another hallway away from her. She started walking toward the rec area by herself when a hand grasped her upper arm and pulled her quickly to a dark corner. She squeaked in protest when a hand clapped over her mouth. Her eyes adjusted to the dimness quickly as she stood face to face with none other than Alec.

"Ssshhh! Don't get all freaky on me, okay? I just needed to talk to you."

Max slapped the hand away from her mouth, shook his hand off her arm and pushed him away from her as she stage-whispered, "Alec? What the HELL are you doing?"

Alec, for once, looked a little sheepish…which was nothing like the unapologetic Alec she remembered.

"I didn't mean to scare you, Maxie. We haven't seen each other in days and frankly…it's driving me insane with worry."

"I'm fine," Max replied as she crossed her arms and glared at him.

Alec saw right through her cavalier attitude. His narrowed eyes spoke volumes.

"Bull!" Alec raised a thumb and caressed the dark circle under one of her eyes. "Max, frankly, you look like you haven't slept in months. And Joshua's right. You're jumpy and you have that frightened look of a scared animal. What the hell is Cale doing to you?"

His concern unnerved her. She shrugged it off, not sure how she felt about this caring side of Alec, but she kept her tough chick attitude with him. "Hypnotherapy, Alec…it just brought back some disturbing images. I'll shake it off and move on."

Alec surprised Max by hitting a fist on the wall behind him in frustration. "Damn it! Why can't Cale leave it alone for a while? Sometimes I wonder if he gets off on all of this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Max…have you not noticed that you're like his favorite patient?" he asked in an exasperated tone with arms akimbo. He stepped closer to her and spoke quietly so that he wouldn't be overheard by any passersby. "He spends an inordinate amount of time with you making you re-live the nightmare of your past…and honestly, I don't like it. He needs to lay off!"

Cale's need to figure things out bothered Alec. Alec didn't see the need to make Max re-live the same horrors again and again.

He grunted out in frustration, "But there's not much I can do about it without getting thrown into that safe room with the padded walls and a pretty little white jacket as a nice souvenir…"

"Why should you care so much?" Max asked bitterly, trying to suppress the warm tingly feeling she got when she heard his words. That somebody truly cared and didn't think she was crazy. Alec's words made her feel slightly better about where she was. Like she wasn't in a completely nightmarish world. That she just might have a friend here.

The man in front of her was nothing like the callous, cares-only-for-himself Alec that she remembered. And she still wasn't sure if she liked that feeling or not.

At that moment, she looked up into his eyes and saw how close he really was to her. Mere inches from her face, and she felt that strange curl of desire sweeping through her lower regions. Her eyes widened. _Oh_ _God, please tell me I'm not in heat…or would it be better if I was in heat…What's wrong with me?_ After her catastrophic episode in Logan's office, seeing herself with none other than Ames White, now here she was having a lustful reaction toward ALEC of all people. She groaned…or maybe it was a moan. Either way, it seemed the Alec in this world had the same thoughts reflecting in his eyes as he became aware of their proximity as well.

Once his venting was done and her bitter reply was out, he seemed to realize just how close he was to her. And he didn't move back to give her space. He saw it in her eyes too, the same want reflecting back to him. Swallowing hard, he croaked out in question, "Max…?"

She was still staring at him in that strange, unsettling way. Testing his limits, he leaned his head toward her, inch by inch. And to his surprise, Max didn't pull away. _It would be so easy_, he thought to himself. _Then she'll probably kick my ass afterward, but it would be soooo worth it._

_But this is Max! I shouldn't!_

They were a hairsbreadth apart before he changed his trajectory at the last second, making Max swallow a whimper in protest. _I was NOT hoping for a kiss… _she told herself.

Instead she placed her hands on his chest with the intention of pushing him away. She didn't move him however when she felt the barest of grazes on her neck making her shiver involuntarily. Having changed his direction his face was now hovering over her right shoulder. His lips barely brushing her neck like he was restraining himself from doing anything else.

_Good god has it been so long?_ she asked herself as she felt his head lift up a fraction and place a hand on the wall above her head. Max didn't know how much longer her legs would hold her up. "Max…" He said her name before licking his now dry lips, the move drawing her attention there. She felt the barest heat from his tongue and forced herself to follow through and push him away from her. He stumbled backward before whispering, "I'm sorry…I don't know what the hell is coming over me. But I meant it when I said I really need to talk to you. Let's meet tonight."

"How do you expect us to do that?" Max asked breathlessly.

The old Alec shown through as he smirked, "I have my ways. I'll find my way to you after lights out. This…" he motioned a finger between the two of them, "will just have to wait. Talk first, fun later."

He gave her the barest of kisses on her lips and murmured, "Tonight. See you then…Maxie."

This Alec was confusing her…or had she already been confused about him and how they felt towards each other? Either way she really did want to talk to him tonight_…maybe even continue on what—NO I did not just think that…it's just business._ She was curious about what Alec believed was so important that he'd break into her room later.

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><p>Later that night after lights out, Max was lying on her cot staring at the ceiling. She realized when she first came here, she didn't have her night vision…it was unsettling to say the least. Logan had allowed her a night light, which cast a dim glow on the wall behind her cot.<p>

Kinda helped with keeping the nightmares at bay too.

Every time she closed her eyes, she was being tortured and questioned by White. Questions such as "Where is my SON, 452? Answer me!" and then immense pain until she woke up.

And then more torture when she closed her eyes again. Just pure pain. Nothing sexual in those dreams, thank God. She'd take the pain over the disturbing images of sex with White any day of the week.

So she tried to stay awake as much as she could, because she knew what awaited her when she closed her eyes.

Glancing at the clock on her wall, she saw it was 11:30 at night. _Where the hell was…?_

She heard something at her door and raised up, placing her feet on the floor as the very object of her last thought quickly opened the door, slipped inside and closed the door quietly. He checked out the little window, looking in both directions of the hallway, making sure no one saw him.

"Hope ol' Mole doesn't need his keycard anytime soon," Alec commented while making sure no one followed him.

Then he turned back to face Max, and she felt like she had lived this moment before.

Of course! The day she met Alec at Manticore, the first day he walked into her cell.

Alec nodded. "You feel it too, don't you, Max? A sense of déjà vu?"

Now she looked surprised as he walked closer to her and explained, "You remember, don't you? You mistook me for Ben at first, then I told you my designation was 494 and you said…"

"'His was 493. You must be twinned.'"

Alec picked up her hairbrush from the nightstand and pretended to use it as a microphone as he announced (but not too loudly), "Rod! Tell the lady what she's won! Well, Max, you've won A NEW CAR!"

She stood quickly and grabbed her hairbrush from him, putting it back where it belonged, but her eyes were still wide. "Alec…don't kid with me here. You actually remember…?"

"Everything. You're not crazy and neither am I. But for now Max, you have to 'go along to get along'. Do you know what I mean?"

She shook her head and asked, "Huh?"

"Just play along out there, Max. You'll get by a whole lot better if you do, and then we can figure this bitch out together."

Max thought to herself, _Wait, this might be a set-up…what if Manticore sent yet another twin of Ben and Alec?_

But Alec was pacing her small room, excited, "This is awesome! I finally get it! I mean, I'm pretending with everyone that I'm who they think I am. Think about it! I can't remember us making out in a closet. I was just told about it. And frankly, I could NEVER forget making out with you, Max." His smile at the thought caused her to smack him upside the head.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Alec asked as he rubbed his head and glared at Max.

"Get to the point, Pretty Boy! What are you trying to say?"

"This HAS to be a dream we're in, Max! Although, I've never heard of two people sharing a dream before, but hey! I'm just glad I'm not ALONE in this."

Max was having a hard time taking everything in. She almost convinced herself that she really had been delusional for several years, and now Alec is saying what her thoughts have been trying to tell her since she realized she woke up in this crazy off-kilter world.

She didn't know whether to be elated, or scared shitless that Alec was going psycho and she was making him that way. She let the emotions hit her before Alec asked, "Max? You with me?"

Now Max began her own restless pacing. "Yeah, I'm just trying to get it to all sink in. So, if this is true, if we're really in a dream world, how do we get out? I mean aren't we in our heads or something? How do we…how?" She said the last part a bit exasperated not knowing what to do. She had never dealt with this before.

"Well, didn't we learn that with dreams, once you know it's a dream, you can control it. Right?" Alec asked.

"I guess…I never went through Psychology 101 with you, Alec. Remember?"

"Well, I'll try a little experiment." He grasped her upper arms and moved her a couple of steps to the middle of the room. Then he raised a finger. "Stay right there."

He walked to the door, then turned to face her. He closed his eyes tightly, seeming to chant something to himself.

"Alec? What the hell are you doing?"

"Shhh! Let me concentrate!" He waved a hand, his brow furrowed, but his eyes were still closed. Max heaved a sigh and folded her arms, waiting.

Finally, he opened his eyes, then pouted like a petulant boy. "Damn! That didn't work."

"WHAT didn't work?" Max asked crossly, waving her arms in exasperation.

Grinning now, he replied, "You were supposed to be naked."

She threw her pillow at him and he chuckled, catching it easily in his hands.

"Come on, Maxie! If we're dreaming, why can't I have fun with it?"

"Dream this," she remarked and threw her other pillow. He caught that one easily too as he chuckled. "Relax, Max, we're in this together now. You're not alone."

The words meant more to her than he probably knew. She wasn't alone anymore in this nightmare…he was here with her.

They heard something down the hallway and footsteps coming their way.

"Crap!" Alec muttered as he looked around the room quickly for a hiding place. He found her full size wardrobe and opened the door, crawling into it.

"What is it?" Max hissed.

"Probably Mole hunting me down. Close this door, Max…and…" He raised a finger and warned, "I'm not here, okay?"

She nodded and closed the door, quickly grabbing a book and sitting on her cot as a face appeared in the little window in the door.

"Hey Max…" Mole said. "Can you look around and tell me if I dropped my keycard in there?"

Knowing it was in Alec's pocket helped her to fake it better. She got up and pretended to look around her room, including under the bed as she came up and said, "No Mole, I'm sorry…I don't see it in here."

"Well, if you come across it, take it to the front desk for me, will ya? Lydecker's goin' to have my hide for losing that thing again."

"I sure will, Mole."

He walked back down the hall and checked with a couple of other patients, who hadn't seen the card either. He cursed as he left to go down another corridor.

Max quickly opened her wardrobe door and helped Alec out. He arched his back, stretched and groaned, "That was a tight fit for a guy that's all legs. I'm never doing that again if I can help it."

"Shut up!" Max hissed. "You need to get out of here and back to your room before anyone sees you."

Alec looked up at the clock. It was now midnight. "You're right. Hey, by the way… Can we make this a nightly thing?"

Max shot him a disapproving look before he raised his hands in surrender. "I don't mean sex, Max…" His eyes raked over her though in a purely male way. "Although I'm not against that idea…" Max made a threatening move toward him with her hands fisted at her sides. He jumped out of her way and waved his hands. "Hey! I'm a guy! I have to at least try!"

Surprisingly, Alec side-stepped a punch and pulled Max toward him with an arm around her middle. He gave her a quick, fleeting kiss, grinning when she began to respond and he backed away. He winked at her.

"Another reason to keep you awake at night, Maxie. Take care!"

He quickly opened the door and left before Max fully recovered from the kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's note - I'm baaaack! :) The next few chapters, including this one, are going to get really dark. Just a warning. If you have a problem reading about abuse, rape, BDSM, anything along those lines, just don't read what is in italics. I decided that it would be best to detail what Max allegedly went through with White. I say allegedly because I don't want to give anything away. It could be real or it could be some dark place in Max's psyche. Who knows! :)_

_I personally really did spend about three months at a women's shelter that housed victims of domestic violence. Their stories would absolutely chill you. A lot of this is what can go through the mind of a victim as she rationalizes her treatment of her and why she does what she does... and at last, why they don't escape. A lot of times, FEAR is a huge motivator. Anyway, lots of angst and drama. Let me know your thoughts. I'm always interested in feedback. This has been a real challenge as a writer to try and capture Max's POV._

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><p>The following evening, Logan paid a visit to Max in her room. Max had had it up to her chin with Logan constantly advising her. And now they were having a new argument.<p>

Logan had a tray with a small paper cup with two pills and a glass of water. He set it on a bedside table and passed the pills and water to Max, but she turned away from him. She turned over in the bed, still fully dressed and faced the wall in stubbornness, her back to Logan.

"Max… I'm concerned that you're not getting much sleep. Your body needs to rest and needs that sleep to help you function."

"How many times do I need to tell you Logan, I really do have shark DNA. I don't need as much sleep as you or anyone else. Leave me alone."

"No Max, not this time." Logan tried to be kind yet stern. He was going to stand his ground on this. He set the pills and water back on the tray and pulled up a rolling chair in the corner, sitting down by her bed. "You have never had shark DNA Max. You're completely human."

"And you're trying to get me to believe I am crazy. Go away!"

"You're not crazy Max. There is no such thing as 'crazy'. Your mind just found a way to deal with your trauma. You are experiencing nightmares about White, and I understand that. And the reason is that you have stuffed the real emotions and fears into a little box in your head marked 'Do Not Touch' and in its place, you've made up a whole new life that made you feel secure, and made you feel powerful. The real truth is… White repeatedly raped you, he forced you into a marriage you were too young to consent to, he forced you to live a life that you couldn't handle."

"White never touched me in that way Logan. That would be…. Ew!" Max shuddered, the very thought of sex with White made her nauseous. Her skin began to crawl and she had to resist the urge to flinch at the sensation.

"Yes he did Max. When you first came to us, you had insisted that you were actually in love with him. But that's normal also when you live within the environment that you did. There's a psychological term for it called 'Stockholm Syndrome' where you believe you have fallen in love with your captor."

Max dismissed the notion of her ever saying those disturbing words regarding White. She'd love to kill the man for putting her through hell. But that was about it.

"I hate White, there is no freaking way I would ever love that monster."

"Right, you say that NOW because you've had time away from his influence and new clarity to look back and see him for the monster he really is. Max, I think the dreams you have been having are simply your subconscious mind screaming that you need to deal with what happened. You were raped repeatedly, you had his child, and now that child is dead. You need to face up to what all has happened and deal with it. It's going to be hard, but I'll be there to help you."

Max, in a fit of fury, jumped up off the bed and began to pace, "Logan, I'm NOT crazy. That never happened!"

After last night with Alec, Max had a little hope that all of this was just a bad dream. But Logan kept pushing a different reality on her, effectively making her doubt her sanity.

Logan stood, towering over her, but tried to stay calm, "Max I'm not leaving until one of two things happen. Either you take the pills or I have one of the orderlies hold you down again while I give you another shot. You need to sleep!"

Too frustrated to keep her attitude in check, she verbally lashed out, "Try and make me Logan! You know I can take you out easily."

"You want to lash out at me, I get that. I would never want to hurt you Max. Everything I do for you is for your own good."

Her anger at his seemingly never-ending patience infuriated her more, "Oh you haven't seen 'lashed out' yet!" Max gritted out as she grabbed Logan and prepared to throw him across the room. But she realized she didn't have the strength to do so, and it was within that moment that Logan grabbed her arm, twisted it behind her and used his body to hold her against the wall.

_Fuck, that hurts! I don't normally feel this kind of pain, not this bad anyway. And where the hell did Logan get these skills? _

"Joshua!" Logan yelled out while he struggled to keep Max subdued, "Get in here!"

Within moments, Joshua was at the door. He used his key card to get in and took the situation in at a glance. Logan grunted, "Help me! I need you to hold her down while I give her a sedative."

And within a few moments, Max received another shot that put her into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p><em>For once, Max was finally getting some rest. She had fallen into a deep sleep and was starting to come out of it when she felt a hand between her legs stroking her. She groaned as she instinctively rubbed her body against that hand. In her vulnerable state between wakefulness and sleep, her body was automatically reacting to the external stimuli. <em>

"_It's about damn time." Ames whispered almost hatefully into her ear. "I need to be inside you."_

_She groaned out a "Nooo" in her sleepy state, not even opening her eyes, not wanting to believe this was real until she felt Ames grab a fistful of hair and pull with one hand and harshly grab her between the legs with the other._

"_No, you say? This…" he gave her pussy a squeeze "Belongs to me. I say I want to fuck, you spread your legs for me, or there's hell to pay and I fuck you anyway. But the last option is not as pleasurable for you. Now, open your legs, bitch." When she didn't comply right away he gave her hair a pull again, "Now 452. Your body never lies to me, it's already getting wet for me."_

_Complying in shame, she opened her legs. Realizing she was naked and so was Ames, he simply rolled on top of her, pinning her arms above her head. She further realized as she opened her eyes and looked around that she was in Ames' bedroom._

_At least the bed here was more comfortable than her twin cot._

"_Tell me you want me 452. Tell me that you want me to fuck you."_

_She just stared at him in hatred and didn't say a thing. He was on top of her, had her pinned down and his cock was at her entrance._

_He grinned evilly, "So it's going to be like that huh? I'll make you want me. And I like a challenge."_

_He lowered his head and forced a kiss on her mouth. She kept her mouth tightly closed and now remembered how this turned Ames on. This was the kind of thing he liked. He wanted her to fight, he wanted to dominate her so he could prove over and over again that he could do it. That he could make her do whatever he wanted. For him it wasn't just about just getting off, this proved his ownership of her by dominating her body._

_He lowered his mouth to her neck. Now that was her weak spot and Ames knew it, nuzzling and nibbling her neck, making her squirm, causing her to grind against his cock. He groaned at the contact._

"_Oh yeah… you want me, you want me to fuck you with my cock don't ya? Say it!"_

_She shook her head. The moonlight through the window helped him see that gesture._

_Using one hand to pin both wrists above her head, he used his other hand to pinch her nose, forcing her mouth open in order to breathe and he swooped in for the kiss. Keeping her nose pinched closed, she was forced to breathe only his breath, making her struggle to some degree. When she began to feel light-headed due to the lack of oxygen, he released her nose and raised his head, making her gasp for breath. He grabbed her hard under the chin._

"_You're my wife, for better or for worse. Your duty is to give me your body when I ask for it, whenever I ask for it, and however I want it. So tell me to fuck you, tell me how you want me to fuck you and you'll get it as long as you give me what I ask for. I'm running out of patience 452. In a few minutes I am not going to care what you want."_

_This was the moment of truth. She knew what she had to do for her own survival. Because if she didn't, she had learned numerous times that any rebellion was punished severely. He liked to tie her down and do what he wanted, and often that included whips. She hated the whippings and therefore, she capitulated._

"_I want you…" Max breathed hard, closed her eyes in humiliation and said, "To fuck me … please?."_

_God, how humiliating! But to save herself from getting flogged, she'd do anything._

"_That's right… you want me to fuck you. You want me inside you don't you?" The smirk in place on his face made her want to hide in the pillow._

_Tears were starting to stream out of her eyes as she nodded her head, "Yes, please… fuck me. I want you." _

_All he had to do was move his hips a bit and his cock was pushing inside her._

"_See how wet you are for me? You can't deny it 452, I know your dirty little secret. You like it rough." _

_At that, he pistoned his hips hard, making the bed squeak and the headboard to hit against the wall several times. And unbelievably, Max could feel her body heating up with the friction. She had to admit he was right. She actually loved this, one of the few pleasures she received was, ironically. in the arms of this man. This man that treated her no better than a blow-up doll for his own pleasure._

_Therefore, she wrapped her legs around Ames' waist for a better angle. He let go of her wrists which allowed her to wrap her arms around him too and dig her short nails into his back, which spurred him on._

"_Just like a cat with claws, I love when you do that." Ames smirked down at her knowingly, slowing down his thrusts when he saw she was getting just a little too carried away._

_And at that moment, the baby monitor on the nightstand emitted a wail. Six month old Ray was crying. Max immediately tried to push Ames off of her, her motherly instinct to tend to her young roaring through her. But he held her down again._

"_Let him cry. He'll get his turn. I'm your immediate concern right now. Besides, Dad will take care of him. With all the noise we're making, he knows what's going on and won't let us be disturbed."_

"_But… I'm breast-feeding… your Dad can't…" _

"_There are bottles in the fridge that you've pumped! Shut the fuck up 452. When we're done, you can check on the brat." His attitude showed how little he clearly cared for his own wailing son._

_His body was practically smothering Max. With him holding her arms down again, his whole weight was on her. She was actually thankful that he wasn't heavier than what he was. She could say what she wanted about his pain fetish, but the man was nice looking. However, the handsome persona hid an evil heart within him that seemed to take pleasure in hurting her._

_The crying stopped and they could hear Papa talking to the baby in grunts. Ames slowly thrust within her and she moaned at the contact._

"_There's my bitch in heat. Let's see about making you come."_

_He raised himself up a few inches toward the headboard and began pounding her with deeper strokes that rubbed over her clit every time he entered or retreated. Max closed her eyes in guilt as she shook her head in denial that she was about to orgasm._

"_No… no, don't!"_

"_Don't make you come? What kind of answer is that?"Ames grunted as he banged into her harder. Her body suddenly had a mind of its own as her orgasm took control, making her cry out._

_This in turn caused Ames to come as well, he slammed his hips within her, his rhythm changing and becoming less controlled as he spurted his seed within her for the umpteenth time in her life. He grunted into her neck and actually bit an area, making her cry out again as the sharp pain on a tender spot on her neck._

_He collapsed on top of her, panting. She struggled underneath him because she couldn't breathe, but she said instead, "I got to check on Ray…let me up… please?"_

_Ames raised his head, then finally rolled off of her. She jumped up quickly, making her escape. She grabbed her old robe and put it on, tying the belt. Ames propped his head up, watching her as she just made it to the door._

"_When you get done, come back in here and we'll do it again. Shower first. As a matter of fact…"he threw the covers aside and stood in all his naked glory, "I'll go get my shower right now. You are not going to get much sleep tonight 452."_

_She trembled under his potent stare. One part of her was thankful that Ames White was a stickler for personal hygiene. He showered at least twice a day, brushed his teeth after every meal and expected her to do the same. And every time they had sex, he showered again and expected her to do so as well. _

_He was waiting for her response and she knew if she didn't give him one he'd drag her into the shower with him and she could forget checking on their son._

"_I will." She answered meekly and for a shocking moment, he reached out and caressed her cheek._

"_And this time, we'll use a 69 position… hurry back." He told her as he stepped into their adjoining bathroom, gave her a wink and closed the door. That wink always made her shudder because she knew the evil behind the charm._

_She left quickly to check on her son. And she was plagued with worry regarding how Ames would raise him. She had to do something to get Ray away from Ames' influence. She couldn't bear it if Ray turned out to be ANYTHING like his father. But what?_


	7. Chapter 7

**_Author's note - getting even darker guys, so fair warning... skip this chapter if you don't like that. Also, I need to point out a few things. When I decided to start back on this fic, I was just typing away regarding this story I had in my head... I realized though that I originally stated in chapter one that she was 16 when she came to the asylum... um... oooops! That was not the intention I had in my head! So I changed the age in the first chapter because these flashbacks are supposed to be during her final year with Ames leading up to Ray's death... supposedly anyway... in these flashbacks she is 18, let's make sure we're clear. Thanks!_**

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><p><em>Then her dream changed to another time, actually the day before at a Farmer's Market, walking through the stalls with baby Ray in a sling in front of her, asleep against her chest. She stroked his hair lovingly as she looked over the display of fresh tomatoes, contemplating how many she would need for the week and which were the best ones to take. <em>

_It was one of the very few times when she felt normal…felt safe…from him. There were even some times when she actually wondered what would have been better? The way she is treated now, or how she had to survive before while living on the streets? It was a tough call seeing as how with Ames White, she actually could clean herself on a regular basis and get food, water and some clothes. But on the streets, even though she was hungry, cold and dirty, she was free to live how she wanted._

_Then she felt a presence behind her, making her tense in awareness. She internally sighed, already knowing her safe feeling was leaving…yet again._

_The owner of this particular stand, a fiftyish woman, smiled at the newcomer in welcome, "Ames! Great to see you again! How's your father?"_

_Ames White smiled charmingly back at her, causing Max to want to roll her eyes and gag, but she dared not to, "He is doing as well as can be expected Mrs. Johnson. He is at the church preparing for next Sunday's sermon, so I guess today is one of his better days. Thank you for asking. Is that a new hairstyle? It suits you."_

_She blushed and preened, patting her bob, "You were always a sweet boy Ames White." She met Max's eyes as she proclaimed proudly, "You are such a lucky one Maxine to have this handsome and charming man taking care of you and the little one… and awww…look at that baby! So sweet! He looks just like you Ames."_

_White placed one hand on Max's shoulder and the other over the baby's head in a caress, "Yeah, he's a chip off the old block. We're just thankful he's asleep right now. Most of the time lately, he's started whimpering due to his teething. Can't wait to get past that phase!"_

_Max wanted so badly to shrug out of Ames' touch. It made her jump slightly every time he did it. As Mrs. Johnson turned away for a moment to help another customer, Ames tightened his hold on her shoulder almost painfully. He kept his smile on his face for whoever was watching, but he leaned over and whispered, "Smile Maxine, or you'll pay later. You're the happy little wifey out with her family. Act like it!"_

"_Take your hand off my shoulder. That would make me smile." She whispered back heatedly, some of her bite coming out._

_Too late, she realized the huge faux pas she made. He let go of her shoulder, but he moved the hand down to the small of her back, caressing her there, just above her ass. The touch was a warning, she was sure of it._

"_Sometimes Maxine, I think you provoke me on purpose just so I can punish you." He whispered and shot her a warning look. Then he placed the smile back on his face and called out, "Oh, Mrs. Johnson. Could you do me a favor and watch Ray for a little while and give Maxine a break from carrying him? I need to go back to the car and get the stroller. And ah…" he winked slyly at Mrs. Johnson, "It will give Max and myself a little time, if even for a few moments, for it to just be us."_

_Max nearly panicked. She held her baby to her protectively and stared up at Ames fearfully. He was using it as a ploy to take away her shield, and while she didn't like the idea of using her own son as a shield against her husband, it was one of the VERY few things in the world that actually worked!_

"_Oh now, don't fret Maxine!" Mrs. Johnson tried to reassure her, assuming her fear was regarding a stranger watching her baby, not realizing the fear was because of a completely different reason. "Why I'd be happy to watch him! I'll take good care of the little one. I know new parents have to steal whatever moments they can with each other. And your handsome husband just wants a few moments with you. I think that's so romantic."_

_Max glared at her, _Yeah you would, you old harpy. If you only knew what he was really like!

_But she didn't dare say it out loud as Ames helped remove the baby from his sling, making him whimper a bit at the loss of warmth and security from his mother._

"_Now, now little man, it's okay. Daddy's got you." He reassured the infant for the sake of those watching. Max knew darn well that Ames could care less about the baby most of the time, leaving his care up to her. When he allowed it._

_He passed the baby to Mrs. Johnson, who cradled the infant within her arms and cooed at him._

"_Oh, he is adorable Ames. I remember babysitting you when you were little like this. He really does look just like you did."_

"_I appreciate that Mrs. Johnson. And look there, he's taking a liking to you. Look at how he's smiling at her Max."_

_Ames shot a deadly look back at Max that practically screamed _PLAY ALONG BITCH!

_Max instantly pasted a smile on her face and said, "Um, yeah, he's a really good baby, rarely gives us trouble except for the teething thing. You wouldn't happen to know where I can get some teething gel would you? Ames and I could make a quick dash for it while you watch him. It's getting a bit hard to carry a teething baby through a store."_

"_Why it's no trouble at all. Smith's Pharmacy carries the teething gel, and you might want to get some baby ibuprofen too. Used to help my little boys when they were teething. Ricky dropped right off to sleep after taking it. Trust me, it would be a godsend for you."_

"_Now there's an idea. We'll do that. Are you sure you're okay?" Ames asked politely._

"_Oh I'm fine… I've reared three of these. Now I'm looking forward to grandchildren one day. This will give me a little practice again. You know what they say, that it's like riding a bike, you never forget that, nor how to care for a baby."_

_Max had shrugged out of the sling by now and Ames took it from her, passing it and the diaper bag to Mrs. Johnson._

"_You have NO idea how grateful I am for these few stolen moments with my lovely wife. Thank you again… come along Maxine." Ames already had his hand on the small of her back again, just looking like the loving husband taking care of his wife._

_Max wanted to stay with her baby though. Ray was a wonderful buffer sometimes between her and Ames. But once Ray wasn't there anymore, she knew that yet again, Ames White would take his frustration out on her._

_He had to practically push her away from the Farmer's Market down the short walk to their car that was parked under a tree. Once they got there, Ames looked around quickly, saw no one was watching them and swiftly back-handed Max across the face, making her fall to the ground. He crouched beside her, turned her over on her back and placed his fingers around her throat, cutting off her air._

"_That little brat has kept me from you long enough. You are going to start finding more time to take care of my needs or I'll send the kid to relatives out of state for a while. I could even make it to where you will never see him again. Now then…"_

_He released her throat, making her cough and gulp air, "Are you ready to take care of me too?"_

_Max sobbed, the pain of the smack to her face was great, and her eye was already beginning to swell. Crying hard into the grass she cried out in anguish, "I'm sorry! I won't do it again. I'm so, so sorry!" She hated being made to feel this weak, but it was either grovel now or feel MUCH worse later._

"_That's better… but not good enough. Get up." Ames stood, waiting for her to struggle to her feet. She was staring at his work boots, steel toed, and she knew she better do it or those hard shoes would kick her in the ribs. She hastily scrambled up, using the car as leverage to help her. He opened the car door and shoved her in, then bent over her, blocking her way back out._

"_I'm taking you home. Since Dad is at the church doing his preacher/church business, it will be just you and me… and prepare yourself 452… you are going to beg for my forgiveness and you will remember this day. You will remember to NEVER defy me in any way ever again. That little crack about not touching you… oh, you're going to pay for that!"_

_He closed the door hard then walked quickly around the car, getting into the driver's side. Once he closed the door, he gave her a once over, then cranked the car, put on the seat belt, then reached down and unzipped his fly, pulling out his cock. Grabbing her head by the hair, he shoved her down to his lap._

"_Starting now, let's keep that mouth busy with something useful bitch. If you do a good job I might not take it out on your ass later." _

* * *

><p><em>Once they made it home, she had just finished what he forced her to do, sucking him off. Luckily it caused him to be just a bit more relaxed and not so ready to pummel her ass at the moment.<em>

_He followed her into the house, very close behind, then threw her against a wall, crashing his lips against hers. He tasted himself within her mouth for a few minutes, then raised his head. If anything the taste did more harm than good, enticing his lust for her further._

"_On your knees, right now!" he ordered. She quickly complied because she knew dire things could happen if she didn't. He quickly discarded himself of everything waist down. He toed off his boots, pulled down jeans and boxers and kicked them out of the way. His flaccid cock in front of her, he ordered, "Now, beg me to forgive you. Give me a VERY good reason why, because right now all I want to do is beat the living shit out of you for all the days you denied me in favor of taking care of the brat and for that smart mouth. And while you're begging me in your own sweet way, take it much slower this time."_

_Her left eye had swelled completely shut. A tear escaped her good eye. Right now, she saw the look in his eyes that he might still beat the holy hell out of her._

"_Please… don't hurt me… I swear I won't do it again. I love you." She said the last words quickly, trying to placate him._

"_If you love me so much, how about showing a little gratitude huh? I keep a roof over your head, I make sure we have plenty of food for you and the brat, I also take care of my ailing father… you have no idea what real work is like!"_

_She quickly put his cock into her mouth before any of her true thoughts became verbal. A lot of times, as she has learned, this act settles him down to some extent. Even though he didn't know that a lot of times she throws up afterward._

_But it worked. He was still a little sensitive from getting off a little bit ago so she did it gently, swirling her tongue around his shaft, and she could feel him getting harder as he groaned and seemed to run out of words._

_That was one thing she could always count on about Ames White. He was always ready. Maybe if she gave him more sex, as much as she could possibly give him, he'd stop beating her and getting mad at her. Some of that energy could be expelled from him and make her life a little more bearable._

_Making absolute sure her teeth were covered by her lips, she sucked hard, her head bobbing up and down. He grabbed her head and began to thrust, making her deep throat him. Not liking the sensation she started to gag and he held the position deep within her throat._

"_Take it… don't you dare spit me out, fight the gag reflex or else!"_

_Her eyes tearing from fighting the urge to puke, he held her there and then withdrew a little until the tip was on her tongue. She sucked on it some more, swirling her tongue like she knew he liked and sucking him like her life depended on it._

_Because she knew it literally did!_

_Then he withdrew completely and demanded, "Get up!"_

_She stood quickly as he reached out and pulled her blouse apart, causing buttons to fly everywhere, then did the same with her bra. His mouth attacked her breasts before she could stop him. Then he raised up and spit on the floor._

"_When are you ever going to dry up of that breast milk? That's disgusting!" The sour look on his face spoke volumes._

"_I'm sorry." She answered meekly. "Ray is still breast feeding."_

"_Not anymore. We're getting formula from now on. Now take off the rest of your clothes." He ordered in disgust as he walked over to the couch, sitting down on the leather, bare ass and all, waiting for her. Once she completed her task of undressing he pointed to the floor and demanded, "Back on your knees… and crawl over here."_

_Humiliating. Ugh! But she did it, she did what she had to do. She crawled on all fours until she was between White's legs._

_And she knew what she had to do as she stuck out her tongue and began to lick on his ball sac and lick her way up his shaft._

"_That is one talent you definitely have baby, I'll give you that much. You can suck cock better than most whores."_

_The fact that he called her "baby" didn't mean a damn thing, she knew that, but it was better than being called a number. He would call any woman doing the same service "baby"._

_Finally, after it seemed like hours but was probably just a few minutes, he withdrew from her mouth and motioned, "Come up here and ride me. Show me how truly sorry you are with that sweet pussy of yours."_

_She stood and straddled over his prone form, her knees in the couch. He swept a finger between her legs and she held back her instinctive fearful response._

"_See? My God baby… you're soaked. Take me inside you and ride me hard. But pace yourself… we're gonna have a long night."_

_He held his dick up for her as she settled herself onto it, taking him within her slowly. But Ames didn't want slow. He pulled her down and thrust up at the same time._

"_I have to give you credit, I honestly thought having that kid would stretch you too much, but apparently, you're pretty tight again. What are those exercises you've done? Squeeze me."_

_And she did, making his head fall back and groan, "Oh fuck, that's fabulous. Do it again."_

_And she did, she squeezed him as hard as she could with her vaginal muscles. He lifted her up a bit and slammed her back down again._

_He reached up and kissed her again, not really a sign of love of any kind, just dominance as his tongue plunged into her mouth, showing her who was in charge and would always be._

"_Ride me." He demanded against her mouth as she raised up and came back down, repeating this process a few times. She began to moan and he stopped the movement._

"_Oh hell no, you're not going to come this time. You don't deserve to come after the way you've been acting. You will fuck me and get me off again and spend the whole night doing it until I'm ready to allow you to come." He grabbed her hair and demanded, "You understand me?"_

_The one pleasure she got in the house, besides caring for Ray, was now denied to her. But she knew Ames. He'd eventually let her come, as long as she did what he said. It might be several hours, she may have to go through a whole lot of hell first, but it would eventually happen._

"_You know… I think this position would cause too much pleasure for you. Get off me, we're trying something different."_

_She removed herself from him and stood, then he stood as well, walking around behind her._

"_Bend over." He demanded, and actually pushing her between the shoulder blades to make her comply. She braced her hands on the couch to keep her balance as he spread her ass cheeks and began using her own lubrication to lube her ass, sticking a finger inside._

"_Good, you keep yourself clean. I'm going to fuck you in the ass and you're going to take it as if it's the best fuck you've ever had. Brace yourself."_

_That was the only warning he gave before he inserted a second finger, then a third, then replaced his fingers with his cock. This was one act that she hated with a passion. It really only gave him pleasure, whereas it hurt her for the most part. The position itself had him rubbing up against an unpleasant spot near her tail bone. He'd never let her try changing positions for it either, always kept her bent to give him utmost satisfaction while she stayed in pain with the rubbing motion._

_But again, whatever he wanted, as long as she got some semblance of kindness from him now and again, she'll do it. Because she had to survive. She had nowhere to turn in this community. Most in this small town were parishioners at Papa's church and would never, ever believe she was treated so harshly. Papa actually received kudos for taking in a street urchin so long ago. If only they really knew how diabolical the whole family was._

* * *

><p><em>Then her dream changed again, hurtling her back in time to when she was thirteen years old. When her first menstrual cycle had come and gone. She at first didn't know why she was bleeding down there, but apparently Papa did. Because he made her get in the truck and ride to Smith's Pharmacy. He took her to a female clerk and acted like an embarrassed single father that didn't know how to handle this little scenario of his little girl becoming a woman.<em>

_So the thirtyish woman took pity on her and helped her buy her first pads, explaining that women go through this every month. If she's not pregnant, then she'll have a period. And now that she's having a period, she is capable of getting pregnant and she was becoming a woman._

_Max had been in shock. She wasn't hemorrhaging after all. This was normal. Of course, being around only men, she didn't know._

_And didn't realize how her life would change once she was through with her cycle. As soon as Papa knew she was finished bleeding for the month, he snuck into her room that night._

_And effectively took her virginity._

_He took her again, and again numerous times the next year without his son knowing… or maybe Ames just didn't care. But CJ knew and tried to stop it. Poor CJ, he was only twelve and was no match for his father. The injuries CJ suffered trying to protect Max made her heart hurt terribly. CJ was sweet, he was a little slow mentally, but he knew right from wrong._

_She was never able to count on CJ to interfere again. And he eventually was shipped off to a mental hospital. Which became ironic for her, when it left her behind with the two real lunatics in the family._

_They were the crazy ones! Not sweet CJ!_

_Then Papa had a heart attack. She was 16 and Ames was 21 and could legally take care of Max. While Papa was in the hospital, Ames picked up where Papa left off, except Ames White was way more brutal and had the stamina of a bull. When Papa came back home, having no idea what his son had been up to, he had actually tried to get with Max again, but found to his chagrin that he was now impotent and no longer able to have sex with her._

_Which he took out on Max with a belt, deeming it her fault._

_He left her alone for a while, but talked to her no better than the family mutt. But since he no longer came into her room, tt was something she was grateful for. Until one day, he came up with the bright idea of having his son do it for him as his proxy. She figured Ames talked him into that one. One rule though. He got to watch._

_Once Max and Ames married, a forced affair that Papa signed off for since she was under age, Ames announced to his father that he would no longer share Max. Ever again! And the old man could get over it. As far as he was concerned, she was now his property and his father had no say in the matter. And he could damn well pack up and leave if he didn't like it._

_This effectively placed Ames as the head of the family. He worked the cattle ranch by day and expected Maxine to wait on him hand and foot by night. In every sense of the word. Then later he deemed his father mentally incompetent and with methods that Max herself couldn't imagine, Ames procured legal power of attorney papers over his father, making it very clear that one wrong move, he'll throw his ass out without a second thought. And of course, the ranch became the property of Ames White, therefore his father only had his social security to live and what the church gave him from the collection plate every Sunday. _

_Ames already had power of attorney over CJ also, and just made damn sure CJ stayed within the asylum in which he was placed and paid for his upkeep. But CJ could never come home. His big brother would never allow it. He knew the past affection his wife had for baby brother, and he definitely didn't need the competition. It didn't matter that CJ was mentally challenged. _

_Ames had the household exactly the way he wanted it. He made sure it stayed that way or heads would roll._

_And then Maxine gave him the news of a baby on the way shortly after her 18__th__ birthday. And his perfect plan of a perfect life just took a nosedive. And it went downhill from that point. If Max thought her treatment was bad already, she never dreamed it could get worse with a helpless baby in the picture._


	8. Chapter 8

"_And I asked her, 'Hey chica, why you put up with that shit?' And you know what she said? She said, 'Oh, it was just a bad day at work. He's a good man!' What the fuck ever! You know what I'm sayin'? Then I told her, 'But he hit you! What did ya do? Just run into his fist?' And she says, 'But I love him!' I tell ya, I don't understand that shit."_

_Another time in Max's past, she remembered a rare opportunity of going to the grocery store while her next door neighbor watched Ray, so she was by herself. One of the very few moments she gained a little peace, all by herself. It was the conversation she overheard in the next aisle, making her pause to listen._

"_Oh that ain't right! If a man beat up on me, I'd put the smack-down on his ass, no foolin'!"_

"_I know you would Cindy, and I would too. This is my best friend, my amiga! I can't stand to see her like this. One of these days chica, if it happens again, there's no guarantee her body will take it. One hit to the cabeza wrong and it's 'Adios muchacha!'. And he's a cop! La policia! And with him, nobody would be the wiser. I worry for her."_

"_Aiight, here's the way I see it. She says she loves him right? Well there is usually only one reason she is convinced of that and it's this… The dick must be that good."_

_Female laughter and then the other girl said, "You ain't right girl! But I guess it has to be somethin' about him! Why else stay with someone that treats you like dirt? Oh hell no! That would never be reason enough for me! First time that hit comes I hit back, second time I hit the door and never come back." She retreated into a refrain of angry Spanish, gesturing with her fists, "__Esta chica mexicana que patear el culo!"_

"_What was that sugar?"_

"_I say this mexican girl would kick his ass!"_

"_Oh I believe ya! I'm telling ya! It's why I'm glad I play for the other team. A girl will treat a sista right. A guy like that? The only reason she stays is 'cause the dick has to be that good. Then we find her with a black eye and ask what happened, she'll claim she ran into his fist. Girls like you and me, home girl? We don't kick with that. Why? Because between the sheets, he obviously knows how to move. One thing Original Cindy knows, you give a girl an orgasm and she's yours for eternity. Even bastards like that, they can be all ugly and shit, as long as she gets off, he's got the noose around her neck and can do whatever the fuck he wants. Original Cindy ain't down with that."_

_Holy shit!_

_Max's eyes widened as she stood rooted to the spot._

_Is that why she is still with Ames White? Well for the most part, he's pretty much all she knows. And she couldn't necessarily run away. If she ever did get the courage to leave, she would take Ray with her, and she knew with everything she had that Ames would find them and kill both of them. She was sure of it. _

_Unless she killed him first._

_And the sex? Sometimes it was horrible, his treatment of her can even be described as deplorable. But there have been numerous times, even she had to admit it was fabulous. The stuff he did use on her, usually scared the shit out of her, but now that she was used to it and knew what he wanted, she found some semblance of enjoyment out of it. Most of the time anyway, not always. Sometimes it got pretty sadistic._

_But the good times? Sometimes it actually made up for the bad._

_Again, it was the only way to survive. She had nowhere to go in this little hick town that thought her father-in-law was God and that Ames White was Jesus Christ himself sometimes. _

_She envied the strength those girls had. They obviously never had to deal with a man that scared the crap out of you just by looking at you. All he had to do was give her a look, a piercing stare and she trembled in fear of what he might do._

_And she hopped right up and did as she was told in order to keep him happy._

_Maybe… maybe when she got home… what if she came on to him for once? He was always complaining he didn't get enough from her body. What if she volunteered? What if she seduced him for once? _

_Having a plan in mind made her feel more in control as she looked over a package of paring knives. That woman that cut off her husband's penis had the right idea, but she would have to do one better. So what if she did something that got rid of Ames White for good? Papa was now in a resting home with Alzheimer's. She could claim anything she wanted to when she talked to Papa when he would inevitably ask about his son's whereabouts… during his more lucid moments anyway._

_Or IF she talked to Papa. She didn't have to do a damn thing for him if Ames was dead. She could live her life peaceably with her little boy for the rest of their lives. Her son will know true unconditional love. Not the fear and domination his father liked to use on them. She didn't need a man as long as she had Ray._

_She knew Ames would teach him horrible things regarding "how to keep your woman in line" by what he sees his father do to his mother. And Ray is only a baby now, but what would happen later as he got older? She was scared to death how Ray would turn out eventually if his father had anything to do with it._

_It had to stop._

_And it had to stop soon. She picked up the package of paring knives and placed them in her cart._

_She had another stop to make before heading home._

* * *

><p><em>Later that night, Max just finished her shower with luckily no interruptions. It gave her the chance to mentally prepare herself.<em>

_She had shaved, lotioned and perfumed before putting on a red baby doll nightgown that came to an area just past her ass on the upper thigh. She did without the matching panties. This was about seduction._

_One last hoorah before she axed the man that had been a bane of her existence and made her live in fear for years._

_She gave herself a pep talk in front of the mirror as she put a little gloss on her lips. That was all the make-up she was going to deal with. Even the small amount she had on gave her more confidence in what she was doing. She will play a part that wasn't completely her. The victim tricking the abuser by acting like an even more willing victim._

_It was kind of nice to be able to wear fragrances now. Papa doesn't live here anymore, and Ames stated rather bluntly that he'd rather she smelled more like a woman. But she knew to keep it light by spraying a spritz or two in the air and walking through it. _

_She took a couple of deep breaths, her heart beating at a triple rhythm._

_Then she opened the door, turned out the bathroom light and leaned against the door frame._

_Her husband, the wife beater, was just sitting up in bed reading a book, waiting on her to get done with her shower._

"_It's about damn time woman. You're gonna cause me to have to get a new hot water heater, and if that happens, it will come out of your ass."_

_Swallowing more nerves she hid her emotions further and responded huskily, "Promises, promises baby. You can put it in my ass, in my mouth, or in my pussy, as long as I get that big cock of yours inside me somewhere, I don't care where. You can choose."_

_Ames raised his head in surprise, his eyebrows popping up to his hairline, then he looked over her outfit all the way down to her red, shiny toenails. It was a rare moment for her to see him looking so shocked before what she said sunk in. _

"_Is that right?" he asked on a sneer. "Not that I'm complaining, but why the sudden change of heart? I usually have to practically beg for any pussy around here." _

_Inwardly, she was sick and tired of how he referred to her in body parts. Pussy, cunt, ass, tits, whatever. But she pasted a smile on her face and walked forward to the bed, her heart practically beating out of her chest and the butterflies were having a parade in her stomach. It was as if every part of her wanted to bolt and leave._

"_And where the hell did you get that red number? You know we don't have the money to throw around." Ames asked harshly. Max tried to hold on to her temper, his complaining would test her nerves, that was for sure._

"_This was actually free." Max informed him as she crawled onto the bed and just knelt on top of it._

"_We don't take charity woman. You didn't get that at some church donation did you? Because that would be disgusting knowing someone else wore it." He replied, making it obvious he had no desire to touch it with his clean hands._

_She smiled and lied through her teeth. He didn't need to know the truth about her five finger discount. "Nope, Victoria Secrets were passing these out for free as a one day promotion event. I couldn't let the opportunity slip by, so I took the free passing, then waited till the attendant was busy before slipping out with my free bounty." Then she pouted prettily, "Don't you like it?"_

_Knowing now that the nightgown wasn't used goods and it was free on top of that, he gave a curt nod, "Well, free is good then. Stand up and model it for me."_

_She got off the bed, held her arms out like a proud model, turned where her back was to him. She bent over to show her bare ass and pussy then looked over her shoulder shyly, "So, you like? It's really soft too. Like silk." She stood and turned back around facing him, approaching his side of the bed. Standing next to him, she stroked the material over her breasts, her nipples hardening._

"_Touch it." She encouraged. "Touch me." She reached out for his hand and brought it to her breast. When he gave it a squeeze, she reacted as if it was the most sensual feeling in the world._

"_Oh God that feels good doesn't it?" she asked with her eyes closed, moaning._

"_Yeah… it does." Ames agreed. He pinched her nipple, making her eyes fly open as she saw his smug face, and the tent under the quilt._

"_Oooh, somebody's happy to see me!" Max giggled as she pointed out the tent in the quilt. Ames looked down and back up at her with an almost feral grin. _

"_How about you make it known how much you want him to come out and play with you?"_

_She got back on the bed on his side and straddled over him. She moved his hand down her body to her wet inner core, biting her lip. Ames was about to say something but she placed a finger over his lips._

"_No… not in words baby. Just fuck me. This…" She had her hand over her husband's showing him how to stroke her, "This is all yours baby. I want your cock deep inside me. Riding me hard as we come together, right here. Only you can give me what I need, what we both need."_

_She gave herself a small congratulations for pulling off the vile words with ease. Her voice sounded almost silky while she spoke. _

"_Damn straight." He growled as he stroked her a little harder. He reached his free hand around the back of her head and brought her down for a kiss._

_Then he flipped their positions where he was on top and the quilt and sheet had been pushed aside. Trust Ames to always want to be in control._

"_You want me to fuck your pussy, is that right?" he demanded, his more dominant personality coming out so easily for him. The way he acted in front of others was just that, an act. The charm she witnessed outside the home, and the insults she endured inside the home, it was like comparing Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde. _

_She nodded eagerly. His cock stroked her outer folds and then the inner ones as he asked, "How badly do you want it baby?"_

_She bit her mouth with the retort she really wanted to say, instead she put a sexy edge to it, "I feel empty inside without you in it. Fuck me hard and fast, give me everything you got."_

"_I don't know what is causing this sudden about-face, and I don't care at the moment. I like it. But you don't get the cock just yet." He began to withdraw from her and she pouted, which actually made him smile._

"_You know, for an animal, you're actually kinda cute. No…I want to taste that pussy first. I think you need to be a little hotter for me before I go in for the kill."_

_Well she knew she couldn't do anything just now about her plans as he got off the bed and pulled her down to where her legs were hanging off the edge. He knelt on the floor between her legs._

"_Now, behavior like this more often is what I like. I will gladly reward that anytime. I am going to make you come so hard with my tongue. Do you have any idea how much I love this pussy of yours? My dick loves it too, but it'll have to wait until my mouth gets a turn at it first."_

_He pulled her thighs apart and licked from bottom to top, making her squirm._

"_That tastes so good…I want some more."_

_He tongued her pretty steadily for a bit, sucking hard on her clit, causing Max to actually enjoy the attention until he stopped right at a critical moment._

_He stood and grinned down at her evilly, "Still want the cock baby?" he gestured at his member, "Because it's hard as a rock and it wants the pussy BAD."_

_She had been so close to coming, but that was Ames. He constantly made promises he didn't keep and, of course, he had to be in charge of when and how she would come._

"_Yes, I want the cock. Fuck me." Her orgasm was at the tip ready to come forth. Just about anything he could do that involved contact down there would set her off. She felt desperate enough for it._

"_I'm going to make you work for it bitch. Get over here and suck it, make it good and wet and harder. It will feel really good when I take you after that."_

_And she did. She got up, laid down on her stomach, took his dick into her fist, pumped it up and down a few times and licked the tip, pretending he was the best thing she ever tasted. Then finally she engulfed him into her mouth._

_The hiss he made through his teeth when she deep throated him told her everything she needed, that in a sense, at this moment, he was putty in her hands. Which made her feel just a little more powerful and she really got into the job of sucking him off. She knew all the tricks by now, what made his knees weak, what he liked and what he didn't. And she used that knowledge to her advantage. _

"_Slow down you fucking cunt. This is not a race." Ames demanded as he withdrew from her mouth, purposely slapped her cheek with his dick, which of course didn't hurt, it was just used to get her attention. Before she could take it again, he gave her a smack on the ass, again not that hard, but it punctuated his next demand._

"_Turn over." And she turned over on her back, wondering what he had in mind. Her head was hanging off the side and he directed his cock back into her mouth._

_She wasn't too crazy about this position. He made breathing a little difficult for her because his balls would keep slapping her nose, and she had to fight the gag reflex a little more than normal because of the angle._

_He reached over and spread her legs, bringing his fingers back to her pussy again, stroking her. Then he bent forward and licked her._

_That almost made this whole thing worth it. Even though she was nearly gagging with a mouth full of dick, and she had to use her hands to cup his balls to give her nose a little more breathing room, that one lick on her sensitive flesh made her moan involuntarily, causing vibrations to run along his shaft._

"_Oh you like that? The bitch in heat is back full force huh?"_

_And he licked again, placing a finger within her to stroke inside her, all he did was keep lapping at her clit, not sucking it in, not being too forceful, just licking like a cat would lick cream, keeping her on edge._

_He finally raised up and removed his cock from her mouth. While she was panting, trying to get her breath back, he walked around to her side of the bed and climbed on. Spreading her legs wide, and keeping a kneeling position between her legs, he entered her in one fast thrust._

"_You've done well bitch… let's get us off."_

_He set a fast and furious pace, holding on to her by the upper thighs so she wouldn't fall off the bed. He used his thumb to play with her clit while he furiously banged his cock into her. Max cried out as her orgasm barreled through her body. Her muscle spasms caused Ames' rhythm to stutter._

_He leaned forward where he was lying on top of her this time, almost smothering her as he pounded hard and fast until he came as well. He grunted, cursed and then exploded within her, coating her inner walls with his sperm until he was completely spent and his head rested on her breast._

_They were both panting. It felt like they had survived a wonderful earthquake._

_Max absent-mindedly ran her fingers through Ames' hair while willing her heart to slow. It was moments like this that would make her re-think her plan against him._

_She remembered that girl at the market say "The dick is just that good." And she realized that girl was probably right._

_Ames raised his head, a smug, satisfied smile on his face._

"_Anytime you want to fuck me like that, feel free. But… be careful what you wish for, bitch. You just might get it"_

_With that, he got up to take his after sex shower, leaving her lying there in exhaustion._

"_Oh, by the way…" Ames poked his head out the door and she propped up on her elbows to see him. His cold eyes almost made her cringe._

"_I got rid of the knife that was under your pillow. It's a good thing I didn't see you going for it or there would have been hell to pay tonight. However… there will be hell to pay later. That's a promise."_

_And he closed the door behind him, leaving Max trembling in fear yet again._


End file.
